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EZR.A.    STILES     S.T.D.  LLD. 

cu^^  Cot 


_^rc<i/6U''^l  /' 


THE 

LIFE 
^  EZRA  STILES,  D.D.LL.D. 

A    FELLOW  OF  THE   AMERICAN   PHILOSOPHICAL   SOCIE^TY  ;     OF 
THE    AMERICAN    ACADEMY    OF    ARTS   AND   SCIENCES  ;     OF 
THE   CONNECTICUT   SOCIETY  OF  ARTS  AND  SCIENCES  J 
A  CORRESPONDING   MEMBER  OF  THE   MASSACHU- 
SETTS   HISTORICAL     SOCIETY  ;     PROFESSOR 
OF     ECCLESIASTICAL     HISTORY  ;     AND 
PRESIDENT    OF    YALE    COLLEGE. 


=-«^C^^^^^^^KJI^« 


BY  ABIEL    HOLMES,   a.m. 

PASTOR  OF  THE  FIRST  CHDRCH  IN   CAMBRIDGE. 

Neque  hunc  nobis  penitus  eteptuiti,  nee  prorfus  amiiTum, 
exiftumemus,  dum  exemplar  ejus  perllluftrc  eloquitur,  ei:  nos  ad 
Artlum  et  Virtutum  omnigenarum  profecutionem  adhortatur  et  urget. 


publifteti  accorDing  to  aS  of  Congref^* 


Printed   by  THOMAS   Eff  ANDREWS, 

,wwr,  1798. 


Faust's  Statue,  N°-  '^^^p'  Newbury  Street, 


PREFACE. 


It  was  in  compliance  with  the  wiflics  and 
advice  of  feveral  judicious  friends  of  Prefident 
Stiles,  that  the  compilation  of  thefe  memoirs 
was  undertaken.  An  intimate  acquaintance  with 
the  Prefident,  obtained  by  a  refidence  of  four 
years  at  the  Univerfity,  as  his  pupil  ;  by  a  fub- 
fequent  refidence  there,  as  a  tutor  ;  by  a  cor- 
refpondence  with  him  for  feveral  years  ;  and  by 
an  alliance  with  his  family  ;  gave  me  fome  ad- 
vantages for  the  delineation  of  his  characterj 
■which  many  perfons,  otherwife  better  qualified 
by  fuperior  ag«  and  talents,  could  not  pofTefs. 
Thefe  advantages,  however,  would  not,  alone, 
have  imboldened  me  to  attempt  fo  arduous  and 
(delicate  a  talk. 

The  Prefident,  by  his  laft  will,  left  me  the 
ufe  of  his  cabinet  of  manufcripts,  confiding  of 
forty  volumes.  On  the  receipt  of  them,  above 
a  year  after  his  death,  I  began,  with  what  dili- 
gence my  health  and  p'rofeflional  labours  would 
admit,  to  examine  them  j  and  judged,  in  the 
refult,  that  they  furnifhed  copious  materials  for 
the  biography  of  their  Author.  With  thefe 
materials  in  my  hands,  and  hoping  that  fuch  a, 

work 


IV  PREFACE. 

work  would  fubferve  the  inter  ells  of  Religion 
and  of  Science,  I  no  longer  hefitated  to  under- 
take it. 

From  the  numerous  manufcripts,  it  has  been 
my  ftudious  aim  to  feled  the  moft  charadcriftic 
paiTages,  and  to  make  the  Prefident,  as  far  as 
poffible,  his  own  biographer.  The  chrono- 
logical order,  which  feemed  the  moft  natural, 
has  been  ftridly  followed.  The  fads,  however 
jnifcellaneous,  are  related  as  they  arife.  In  giv- 
ing fo  complex  and  diverfified  a  charader,  as 
that  of  Prefident  Stiles,  this  method  muft,  in 
fome  inftances,  caufe  the  narrative  to  appear 
abrupt  and  defultory.  No  plan  could  comprife 
all  advantages  :  this  feemed  to  comprife  the 
jnoft.  It  exhibits  the  man,  like  himfelf,  attend- 
ing to  a  vaft  variety  of  refearches  and  purfuits, 
with  an  adivity  and  comprehenfion  feldom 
united  ;  and  with  a  rapidity  of  tranfition,  which, 
though  it  might  derange  the  plans,  and  obftrud 
the  improvement,  of  moft  men,  was,  in  this  in- 
ftance,  conneded  with  order  and  unity,  and 
with  a  fmgular  progrefs  in  knov/ledge  and 
virtue. 

If  any  inconvenience  fliduld  attend  the  want 
of  a  fyftematic  arrangement  of  the  fubjeds  dif- 
culTed,  or  of  the  traits  delineated  ;  it  will  be 
remedied  by  an  index,  at  the  clofe  of  the  book, 
pointing  to  its  principal  contents. 

Excepting 


PREFACE*  y 

Excepting  fome  verbal  alterations,  ^ttle  free- 
dom has  been  ufed  with  the  original,  in  the  ex^ 
trails  from  letters  and  other  manufcripts  of  the 
Prefident.  Written,  in  his  ufual  manner,  with 
rapidity,  the  reader  may  expert  to  find  them 
more  diftinguifhed  for  unaffected  eafe,  than  for 
ftudied  elegance. 

The  curious  enquh^er  will  naturally  wjfh  to 
know  the  repHes  to  many  queries,  taken  from 
the  Prefident*s  letters  to  the  Literati  in  foreign 
countries.  Had  it  been  poffible,  the  defire 
fhould  have  been  gratified.  But,  whether  thofe 
letters,  or  their  anfwers,  mifcarried  ;  or,  wheth- 
er the  perfons  addrelTed  were  not  fufliciently  in- 
quifitive,  or  had  not  leifure,  or  abihties,  to  make 
the  defired  refearches  j  or  to  whatever  caufe  it 
is  to  be  afcribed  ;  no  replies  have  been  difcov- 
ered.  The  queftions,  however,  characterize  the 
enquirer  ;  and  they  may  be  found  worthy  of 
the  future  attention  of  the  learned  world.  In 
both  thefe  views,  they  appeared  to  merit  pref- 
ervation. 

The  reader,  not  verfed  in  clalTical  learning, 
will  pardon  the  infertion  of  many  articles  re- 
lating to  SCIENCE,  when  he  confiders,  that  thefe 
are  the  memoirs  of  a  literary  charafter,  and  of 
a  Prefident  of  a  Univerfity  ;  and  the  fcientific 
reader,  it  is  charitably  hoped,  will  require  no 
apology  for  the  infertion  of  much  religion, 

when 


4yi  PREFACE. 

when  he  confiders,  that  this  work  is  defigned  ta 
promote  it ;  that  religion  was  indelibly  wrought, 
like  Phidias's  name  in  his  fliield,  into  the  char- 
a<9:er  which  it  delineates  ;  and  that,  in  the 
judgment  of  the  compiler,  the  union  of  Piety 
with  Learning  forms  the  fublimefl  human  char- 
5i6ter. 


CAMBRtDGE,   ApRIJ-" 

jth,  1792. 


THE 


THE      L  t  F  E      OF 

PRESIDENT    STILES. 


-=««fV><^^\WV\*« 


HE  Kiftory  of  man  is  one  of 
the  moft  inftru<Stlve  branch- 
es of  knowledge.  Whatever 
elucidates  the  human  charac- 
ter is  not  unworthy  of  no- 
tice. In  the  vale  of  obfcurity  there  ofteri 
fprings  up  a  child  of  genius,  or  of  virtue, 
whofe  character,  if  delineated,  would  furnifh 
inftru£tion  and  entertainment  to  the  world. 
But  fuch  humble  names  hiftory  feldom  re- 
cords. It  is,  indeed,  an  humiliating  fadt, 
that  even  eminent  virtue,  unaccompanied 
with  power  and  greatnefs,  rarely  receives 

that 


g  THE     LIFE     OF 

that  tribiite  of  public  efteem  and  applaufe, 
which  it  juftly  claims.  The  hero  is.immor- 
talized,  while  the  philofopher  and  the  Chrit 
tian  are  fufFered  to  pafs  into  oblivion. 

The  heathen  hiftorians  carefully  recorded 
the  exploits  of  the  great  men  of  ancient 
times.  Painting  and  Statuary,  with  emulat- 
ing fkill,  prefented  their  exad  refemblances 
to  diftant  pofterity.  Orators,  in  lofty  pane- 
gyricj  proclaimed  their  funeral  eulogies  to 
crowded  auditories.  Poets  celebrated  their 
praifes  in  heroic  verfe.  Names,  fo  varioufly 
preferved,  fo  ftudioufly  extolled,  efcaped  the 
ravages  of  time.  Their  fame  has  reached 
us  ;  and  their  praifes  are  daily  reiterated. 
The  more  fubftantial,  though  lefs  brilliant, 
worth  of  many  men,  in  modern  times,  has 
been  overlooked  in  the  fplendour  of  antiqui- 
ty. The  age,  however,  which  boafts  its  re- 
finement in  civilization,  ought  to  refpe6t  the 
milder  virtues  ;  and  the  nation,  which  has  ex- 
perienced the  falutary  influence  of  Chrillian- 
ity,  ought  to  venerate  the  Chriftian  character. 
Under  thefe  impreffions,  the  writer  will 
humbly  attempt  to  preferve  from  oblivion, 
and  to  propofe  for  imitation,  the  characSler  of 
a  man,  who  fhone  with  diflinguifhed  luftre 

in 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  9 

m  the  circle  of  civil  fociety,  in  the  republic 
of  letters,  and  in  the  church  of  Chrift. 

EZRA  STILES  was  born  at  North-Haven, 
in  Conne(5ticut,  on  the  tenth  day  of  Decem- 
ber, 1727.  His  father  was  the  Reverend  Ifaac 
Stiles,  whofe  grandfather,  John  Stiles,  was 
brought,  while  an  infant,  from  Milbroke,  in 
Bedfordfhire,  in  England,  in  1634,  by  his 
father,  John  Stiles,  who  fettled  at  Windfor, 
in  Connedicut,  in  1635.  His  mother  was  a 
daughter  of  the  Reverend  Edward  Taylor,  of 
Weftfield,  in  Maflachufetts,  who  came  from 
England  to  America  ;  and,  in  1692,  married 
Ruth  Wyllys,  a  daughter  of  the  Honourable 
Samuel  Wyllys,  of  Hartford,  in  Connedicut. 
By  her  he  had  fix  children,  of  whom  Kezia 
was  the  fifth.  She  was  married  to  the  Rev- 
erend Ifaac  Stiles,  of  North-Haven,  in  June, 
1725;  and  died  in  child-bed,  December  15, 
1727,  leaving  Ezra,  her  only  child. 

Born  with  a  feeble  conftitution,  he  was, 
from  his  infancy,  fubjedl:  to  infirmities  ;  and 
it  long  remained  doubtful,  whether  he 
would  furvive  the  age  of  childhood.  But 
the  providence  of  God  preferved,  through 
this  critical  period,  a  life  deftined  for  future 
ufefulnefs  and  eminence.  In  his  fubfequent 
B  years, 


to  THE    LIFE    OF 

years,  a  refle(Stion  on  thefe  early  experi- 
ences of  the  divine  care  and  proted:ion  very 
fenfibly  affedled  his  heart  with  gratitude  to 
the  Preferver  of  men. 

His  puerlk  age,  unfruitful  in  Incidents 
of  importance,  furnifhes  nothing  material, 
w^orthy  of  prefervation.  The  tradition^ 
however,  in  the  place  of  his  nativity,  isy 
That  he  was  diftinguifhed  from  all  the  oth-- 
er  children  of  his  age,  by  Ms  ■  good  hu- 
moiir,  and  engaging  m.anners  ;  that  he  had 
a  ftrong  memory,  from  his  childhood  ;  that, 
though  he  did  not,  at  firft,  difeover  a  fonti- 
nefs  for  fludy,  he  was  no  fooner  initiated 
in  the  rudiments  of  knowledge^  than  he  be- 
came delighted  with  his  book  ;  and  that  his 
progrefs  was  fo  rapid,  as  to  allow  him  con- 
fiderable  time  for  the  afTiftance  of  his  fchool- 
fellows,  and  for  his  own  amufement. 


J.D.    M,DCC,XXXVI  TO  M,DCCyL.— 
iETAT.  IX  TO  XXIII. 

AT  the  age  of  nine  years  he  began  ta 
learn  his  Latin  grammar ;  and,  having  fin- 
ifhed  his  preparatory  lludies,  under  the  in- 

ftrudion 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  ii 

ilruction  of  his  father,  at  twelve  he  was  pre- 
pared to  enter  college.  An  admiflioii  at  (o 
early  an  age  being  judged  inexpedient,  he 
waited  three  years  longer  ;  and  in  Septem- 
ber, 1 742,  entered  Yale  College,  in  the  fi£» 
teenth  year  of  his  age.  His  principal  tu- 
tor was  Mr.  Darling,  a  man  of  abilities  and 
of  fcience.  He  lived  to  fee  his  pupil  plac- 
ed at  the  head  of  that  feminary,  where  he 
had  affifted  in  forming  his  minjd  to  knowl- 
edge and  virtue.  A  mutual  friendfhipj, 
which  commenced  at  this  early  period,  was 
ripened  afterward  into  a  cardial  affeddon, 
and  heightened  the  pleafure  of  the  evens' 
jng  of  their  days.* 

A  fmail  eftate  in  Glaftenbury  defcending 
to  him  in  right  of  his  mother,,  his  father 
fold  it,  in  1 74 1,  to  defray  the  expences  of 

his 

*  Thomas  I>arling,  Efquire,  died  at  Woodbridge,  m 
the  vicinity  of  New-Haven,  Nov.  30,  1789,  ^tat.  70, 
He  was  not  more  diftinguiflied  for  the  flrength  of  his 
intellectual  powers,  than  for  modefty,  candour,  charity, 
and  the  ftricteft  integrity.  In  private  life,  from  which 
the  juftefl  eftimate  of  life  is  drawn,  he  was  moll  refped- 
able  and  amiable.  In  public  life  he  filled  various  offices 
with  equal  dignity  and  fidelity.  His  abilities  fhone  tQ 
advantage,  as  a  ilatefman  and  a  judge. — Having  fludi- 
oufly  attended  to  the  evidences  of  Chrfilianity,  he  was 
fully  perfuaded  of  its  truth  and  importance,  and  adorn- 
ed  hia  profefSon  of  it  by  an  exejrplary  life. 


12  THE    LIFE    OF 

his  education  ;  but,  from  fome  caufe  now 
unknown,  he  did  not  receive  all  the  avails 
till  1747.  Hence  his  fituation,  while  at 
college,  v*'as  rendered  dependent,  in  a  degree, 
on  the  patronage  of  friends.  A  youth  of 
a  fine  genius,  of  amiable  manners,  and  of 
a  promifmg  character,  eafily  found  thofe 
who  had  a  difpofition,  as  well  as  ability, 
to  patronife  him.  Prefident  Clap,  among 
others,  was  his  friend  and  benefad:or ;  and, 
by  various  adts  of  friendfliip,  lefTened  the 
expences  of  his  education.  With  what 
improvement  to  himfelf,  and  advantage  to 
the  world,  he  employed  his  time  at  the 
univerfity,  will  appear  in  the  fequel.  Natu- 
rally inquifitive  ;  fond  of  books,  perhaps  to 
an  extreme  ;  patient  of  application  ;  and  de- 
lighted always  with  literary  fociety  ;  the  aca- 
demic life  muft  have  been  peculiarly  con- 
genial to  his  juvenile  mind.  It  was  by  thor- 
oughly availing  himfelf  of  this  happy  pe- 
riod, and  of  thefe  propitious  advantages,  that 
he  laid  the  foundation  of  his  future  ufefulnefs 
and  diftin£lion. 

The  vefciges  of  his  progrefs,  while  at  col- 
lege, are  not  now  eafiiy  traced.  His  favour- 
ite refearches,  however,  are  difcernible  in  his 

obfervations 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  13 

obfervations  on  a  comet,  which  appeared  in 
the  beginning  of  his  Sophimore  year ;  in  an 
account  taken  at  the  fame  time,  of  the  num- 
ber, periods,  diftances,  velocity,  and  other 
properties  of  the  comets  ;  in  numerous 
geometrical  menfurations ;  in  the  calcula- 
tions of  eclipfes  ;  and  in  a  copious  chrono- 
logical compendium  of  the  hiftory  of  the 
Old  and  New  Teftaments. 

Having  finilhed  his  academic  courfe,  by  the 
appointment  of  the  Prefident,  he  delivered 
the  cliofophic*  oration,  in  the  College  Hall, 
at  the  public  examination  of  his  clafs  for  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  This  appoint- 
ment was  a  very  honourable  one  ;  and,  alone, 
affords  prefumptive  evidence  of  his  general 
fcholarfhip  ;  for  it  was  required  of  the  ora- 
tor, who  had  this  part  affigned  him,  to  ex- 
hibit a  view  of  the  cyclopedia  of  literature, 
which  had  been  the  fubjedl  of  clalBcal  ftud- 
ies,  in  the  feveral  ftagcs  of  education  at  the 
univerfity.  At  the  fubfequent  Commence- 
ment, September  3d,  1746,  at  the  age  of 
nineteen,  he  received  the  degree  of  Bachelor 
of  Arts.     On  this  occafion,  he  had  as  dif- 

tinguifhed 

*  A  collegiate  term,  applied  to  an  Oration  on  the  Arts 
and  Sciences,  delivered  annually  at  an  examination  in  July. 


14  THE    LIFE    OF 

tinguiflied  a  part,  as  a  fyllogiflic  exercife 
would  admit  j  and,  at  that  period,  the  can- 
didates for  the  firft  degree  had  no  higher 
exercife  at  Commencement,  except  a  faluta- 
tory  oration.  He  was  refpondent  in  defence 
of  the  following  thefts^  which  was  afterward 
fan^lioned  by  his  maturer  judgment,  and 
defended  by  his  abler  pen  : 
JUS  regum  iion  eji  jure  divlno  hareditarmm, 
^*  The  hereditaiy  right  of  kings  is  not  of 
divine  authority. 

*'  While  art  undergraduate,  he  flood,  if  not 
the  firft,  yet  among  the  firft  of  his  contem^ 
poraries  j  and  when  he  proceeded  Bachelor 
of  Arts,  he  was  efteem^ed  one  of  the  moft 
perfect  fcholars  that  had  ever  received  the 
honours  of  this  feminaiy."* 
.  Apprehending  his  religious  principles  to 
h,Q  fettled,  and  imprelFed  with  a  fenfe  of  the 
duty  and  importance  of  making  a  Chriftian 
prpfeffion,  he  did  ijpt,  like  many  ftuderits  in 
theology,  delay  it,  till  an  entrance  into  the 
deik  ftiould  render  it  neceflary  ;  but,  thus 
early,  confeiTed  Chrift  before  men,  and  pub^ 
licly  eonfecrated  himfelf  to  God.     On  the 

23d 

*  Profeflbr  Meigs*  Funeral  Oration  on  Prefident  Stiles, 
at  tlic  Commencement  after  his  death. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  I5 

a  3d  of  November,  after  his  graduation,  he 
was  admitted,  by  his  father,  a  member  of 
the  church  in  North-Haven. 

Allured  by  the  inviting  circumftances  of 
the  library,  and  literary  fociety,  at  Nev<r- 
Haven,  he  now  returned  to  the  feat  of  fci- 
ence,  the  honours  of  which  he  had  recently 
received.*  To  facilitate  thofe  fcientific  pur- 
fuits,  which  were  the  delight  of  his  foul,  and 
thofe  valuable  acquifitions  on  which  his  fu- 
ture ufefulnefs  depended,  a  new  benefadtor 
now  providentially  appeared.  In  1747, 
Captain  David  \Voofl:er,f  of  New-Haven, 

who 

*  Artlum  Baccalaureatu  adomatus,  e  fodalitio  et  con- 
luetudine  academica  difcedebam.  Cito  autem  reverfiis 
apud  ^des  Yalenfes,  ibi  eruditoruni  otium  et  confortiura 
cum  fumma  voluptate  tuli,  imo  terdeclm  annos. 

Prefident  Stiles'  MS. 

"f-  This  was  the  celebrated  General  Woofter,  who  af- 
terward diftinguifhed  himfelf,  by  his  courage  and  mili- 
tary abilities,  in  the  revolutionary  war.  He  was  born  at 
Stratford,  in  Conne^icut,  in  171 1,  and  graduated  at 
Yale  College,  in  1738.  Having,  from  the  time  of  the 
war  againft  Spain,  in  1739,  to  the  French  war,  in  iJSSi 
jifen,  through  the  feveral  military  gradations,  to  the 
rank  of  colonel  ;  at  the  commencement  of  hoftilities  with 
Great-Britain,  in  1775,  he  was  appointed  to  the  chief 
command  of  the  troops  in  the  fervice  of  Connedicut, 
a.nd  made  a  brigadier-general  in  the  continental  fervice. 

In 


i6  THE    LIFE     OF 

who  married  a  daughter  of  Prefident  Clap, 
invited  him  to  Uve  in  his  family,  during  his 
abfence  at  Louifburg. 

What  attention  he  now  paid  to  the  regu- 
lation of  his  heart  and  life,  appears  in  the 
follov/ing  rules,  which  he  drew  up,  at  this 
time,  for  his  own  ufe. 

1.  In  every  adlion  and  ftation  of  life, 
adt  with  judgment,  prudence,  calmnefs,  and 
good  humour  of  mind. 

2.  Endeavour  to  make  the  bufmefs  of 
your  life  your  pieafure,  as  well  as  your  em- 
ployment.    Labor  ipfe  voluptas, 

3.  Be  contented  with  whatever  condi- 
tion and  circumflances  Providence  fhall  allot 
you  in  the  world  ;  and  therein  endeavour, 
fome  way  or  other,  to  be  ufeful  to  your 
fellow-men. 

4.  Perfuade  yourfelf,  that  to  live  accord- 
ing to  the  dictates  of  Reafon  and  Religion 
is  the  fureft,  and  indeed  the  only  way  to  live 

happily 

In  1776,  he  was  appointed  the  firft  major-general  of  the 
•militia  of  Connefticut.  At  the  head  of  his  foldiers,  op- 
pofmg  a  detachment  of  Britifli  troops,  whofc  objeft  was 
to  deftroy  the  public  ftores  at  Danbury,  he  was  mortally 
wounded,  April  27th,  1 777,  at  Ridgficld,  and  died,. 
Mav  2d,  at  Danbury. 


PRESIDENT  STILES,  17 

happily  in  this  world,  and  to  lay  a  founda- 
tion of  happinefs  in  the  other. 

5.  Extirpate  all  vicious  inclinations ;  cul- 
tivate and  improve  the  mind  with  ufeful 
knowledge,  and  inure  it  to  virtuous  habits ; 
think,  live,  and  ad,  rationally  here,  that  you 
may  be  progreffively  preparing  for  heaven. 
Nulla  dies  Jine  lineal 

To  thefe  rules  of  his  own  he  added  feve- 
ral  others,  from  Pythagoras,  Socrates,  Cicero, 
and  Watts.  The  excellent  "  Golden  Verfes" 
of  Pythagoras  made  a  part  of  this  fele£tion. 
A  few  of  the  reft,  which  he  appears  to  have 
facredly  refpe£ted  in  his  future  life,  are  here 
fubjoined.  "  The  beft  method,"  fays  Soc- 
rates to  his  pupil  Alcibiades,  "  that  you  can 
make  ufe  of,  to  draw  bleffings  from  heaven 
upon  yourfelf,  and  to  render  your  prayers 
acceptable,  will  be,  to  live  in  a  conftant  prac- 
tice   of   your  duty  toward   the  gods,   and 

toward   men." "  Bene    orafle    eft   bene 

ftuduiffe."     To  have  prayed  well  is  to  have 

ftudied  well. "  Non  enim  tarn  audorita- 

tis  in  difputando,  quam  rationis  momenta 
quaerendafunt."  Not  the  weight  of  author- 
ity, but  of  reafon,  ftiould  be  fought  after  in 

difputation.     Cicero. "  Inure  yourfelf 

C  to 


t8  THE    LIFE    OF 

to  a  candid  and  obliging  manner,  in  all  your 
converfation  ;  and  acquire  the  art  of  pleafui^ 
addrefs,  even  when  you  teach,  as  well  as 
when  you  learn,  and  when  you  oppofe,  as  well" 
*8  when  you  afTert  and  prove."  Watts» 
He  clofes  the  whole  with  a  noble  fentiment 
and  refolution  :  "  I  confider  myfelf  as  a  cit- 
izen of  the  intelledual  world,  and  a  fubje<a 
of  its  almighty  Law-giver  and  Judge  j  by 
Him  I  am  placed  upon  an  honourable  thea- 
tre of  adion,  to  fuftain,  in  the  fight  of  mor- 
tal and  immortal  beings,  that  character  and 
part  which  He  fhall  afiign  me,  in  order  to 
my  being  trained  up  for  perfedion  and  im- 
mortality ;  and  fhall,  therefore,  from  this 
time  forth,  devote  my  life  to  the  fervice  of 
God,  my  country,  and  m.ankind." 

In  1749,  he  was  chofen  a  Tutor  of  Yale 
College,  and  was  inducted  into  office  on  the 
25th  of  May.  This  was  the  completion  of 
his  wifhes  ;  "  truly,"  to  ufe  his  own  words, 
"  not  fo  much  for  the  honour  of  the  office, 
as  for  the  advantage  of  a  longer  refidence  at 
the  Seat  of  the  Mufes-" 

In  the  two  preceding  years,  Do6tor  Frank- 
lin had  made  his  firft  experiments  in  elec- 
tricity, at  Philadelphia  ;   and  in  the  fpring  of 

this 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  19 

this  year,  he  lent  an  electrical  apparatus  to 
Yale  College.  Nothing  could  have  been 
more  opportune  than  this,  to  Mr.  Stiles  ; 
nor  could  any  thing  have  furnillied  him  with 
a  more  delightful  fource  of  philofophical  en- 
tertainment. In  connexion  with  his  fellow- 
tiitors,  he  made  a  variety  of  curious  experi- 
ments, above  twenty  of  which  are  entered 
in  his  manufcripts.  Thefe  were  the  firii 
electrical  experiments  mad^  in  NewvEngland, 
Having  received  a  licenfe  from  the  New- 
Haven  AfTociation  of  minifters,  he  preached 
his  firft  fermon  at  Well-Haven,  in  June. 
At  the  public  Commencement,  in  September, 
l^e  received  the  degree  of  Mafter  of  Arts, 
and  pronounced  a  valedictory  oration. 


A.  D,    M,DCC,L  TO  M,DCC,LVI.— 

^TAT.  XXIII  TO  XXIX. 

IN  April,  1750,  he  took  a  journey,  and 
prea.ched  to  the  Houfatunnuk  Indians,  at 
Stockbridge.  Whether  curiofity  prompted, 
or  ill  health  neceflitated,  this  tour,  it  occa- 
lioned  an  importunate  application  to  him, 
from  the  Society  for  propagating  the  Gofpel 

among 


20  THE    LIFE    OF 

among  the  Indians,  to  undertake  the  miflion 
to  this  tribe,  as  fucceflbr  to  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Sergeant.*  So  familiar  was  he  in  his 
addrefs  ;  fo  admirably  did  he  accommodate 
himfelf  to  the  various  manners,  habits,  and 
prejudices,  of  the  different  claffes,  and  even 
of  the  different  nations,  of  men  ;  it  is  not 
ftrange,  that  his  fervices  were  folicited  for 
this  important  and  difficult  flation.  With 
thefe  rare  qualifications,  had  he  accepted 
the  invitation,  he  would  unqueftionably  have 
been  an  eminent  apoftle  of  thofe  American 
heathen.  But,  his  health  being  unequal  to 
fo  arduous  a  fervice,  he  declined  it. 

On  the  1 2th  of  December,  he  pronounced 
a  Latin  funeral  orationjf  in  honour  of  Gov- 
ernor 

*  The  Rev.  John  Sergeant  was  born  at  Newark,  in 
New-Jerfey,  and  educated  at  Yale  College,  where  he 
graduated  in  1729.  In  1731,  he  was  elefted  a  Tutor  in, 
that  feminary,  in  which  office  he  continued  four  years. 
In  1735,  he  commenced  the  Indian  miffion,  in  which  he 
fpent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  died  July  27th,  1749, 
^tat.  39  ;  having  been  "  a  furprifing  inftance  of  labour, 
induftry,  and  faithfulnefs,  in  that  great  and  good  work 
to  which  he  was  called." 

f  After  a  pathetic  exordium,  he  proves  the  neceflity  of 
focieties,  and  of  laws.     Having  obferved,  that  the  diftri- 
bution  of  ijnankind  into  focieties  is  an  imitation  of  Na- 
ture, 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  21 

ernor  Law,  which  was  printed  ;  and  from 
which  the  motto  for  this  work  was  feledted. 
This  oration  furniflies  a  pleafmg  proof  of 
his  claffical   tafte,  pf  his  oratorical   talents, 

and 

tUre,  he  thus  proceeds  with  equal  elegance  and  fublimlty : 
"  Quid  autem  per  immenfam  hanc,  quam  fpe(5lamus, 
Univerfitatem  rerum,  turn  caeleftibus  turn  terrenis  inveni- 
mus,  quod  non  fociale  quiddam  arguit  atque  enuntiat  ? 
NATURAM  enim  effe  focialem,  manifeftius  quid  quam 
ipfa  Natura  evincere  poffit  ?  Quce  enim  Entibus  uni- 
verfis  fubfiftit  Connexio  aut  Relatio  ?  Animalia  vel  mi- 
nutiflima  caeteris  fuperioribus,  fuperiora  invicem  inferiori- 
bus  quodammodo  fervlentia  : — infericra  hominibus  ; 
proprlis  famillis  homines  ;  fingulae  familise  cuidam  focie- 
tati  publicse  j  focietates  municipiis  ;  municipia  regno  ; 
regna  orbi  ;  orbes  fyftemati  ;  fyftemata  UNI  VERSO  ; 
et  omnia  DEO  !"  After  fliewing  the  excellence  of  the 
laws  and  government  of  Connedlicut,  he  obferves  that, 
good  rulers  have  always  been  deemed  worthy  of  fpecial 
honour.  Having  produced  examples  from  the  ancient 
Jiebrews,  the  Romans,  and  others,  to  confirm  the  pro- 
priety of  fuch  eftimation,  he  thus  fententioufly  charadter- 
izes  the  Governors  of  Connedicut.  *'  Itaque  charse  erunt 
femper  et  honorariae  nobilcum  memorije  Prasfedtorum 
nomina  et  charafteres  celeberrimorum,  qui  nonaginta 
jam  annis,  vel  e  Charta  Libertatum  noftrarum  data,  am- 
pliflimum  magiftratum  gerebant,  et  hancce  Coloniam 
integerrimo  honore  gubernarunt.  Qui  omnes,  etiamfi 
fuigulari  quadam  virtute  propriifque  meritis  percellucre, 
tamen  feliciffime  gubernandi  ratione  arteque,  praecel- 
lentem  LAW  cundtis  antecellere  pene  ab  omnibus  con- 
cefTum  arbitror.  Comparatio  Privilegiorum  et  charce 
Cotmeciicutcnfitmi  Libertatis,  noflro  Patrono,  qui  a  Regc 

Carolo 


11  THE     LIFE     OF 

and  of  his  fli  miliar  acquaintance  with  that 
Lmguage,  which,  for  feveral  centuries,  has 
been  the  principal  medium  of  diffufing 
knowledge  through  the  learned  world.  '^  He 
wrote  this   language  with  a  furprifmg  facile 

C:irolo  fecundo  iinpetrabat,  dignifflmo  WINTHROP 
tribuatur.  Sit  honos  Proceribus  Proavifque  nollris  hu- 
maniffimis  LEET,  TREAT,  et  WINTHROP  fecundo, 
qur  fidelifflme  tranquillam  adminiftrationem  confecutifunt. 
Nee  immemores  triraus  fummi  illlus  viri  perilluftris 
SALTONSTALL,  qui  Judiciale  Forum  erexit  circulare, 
et  bis  quotannis  per  totam  Coloniam  haberi  inftituebat  ; 
necnon  noftram  Societatem  mukis  decoravit  honoribus. 
"Regiminis  autera  fapientis,  manlueti  et  integerrirai 
TALCOTT,  omni  fanflitate  ac  pietate  viri,  memoriam 
retinemus  gratam.  Sed  gloria  confervandse  Reipublica?, 
ac  perite  per  procellas  inteftinas  periculofiffimafque' 
eonfufiones  fortiter  et  clementer  adminiftrandae,  fit  foil, 

fapienti,  et  illuftriffimo  LAV/." Governor  Law  was 

born  at  Milford,  in  Connefticut,  in  1674,  and  educated 
at  Harvard  College,  where  he  graduated  in  1695.  On 
t}ie  death  of  Governor  Saltonilall,  in  1724,  he  was  chofen 
Lieutenant-Governor,  and  Chief  Judge  of  the  Superior 
Court.  In  1 74 1 J  he  v/as  eleded  Governor.  He  died, 
Nov.  6,  1750,  iEtat.  77.     His  fucceflfors  in  office  were, 

Roger  Wolcott,  from  1751  to  1754. 

Thomas -Fitch,  from  175410  1756. 

William  Pitkin,  from  1756  to  1769. 

Jonathan  Trumbull,  from  1769  to  1784. 

Matthew  Grifwold, '    from  178410  1785. 

Samuel  Huntington,  from  1785  to  1796. 

Oliver  Wolcolt,  from  1 796  to  1 797. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         23 

ity,  and  with  a  piuity  and   elegance  that 
would  have  honoured  the  age  of  Auguftus."* 

In  175 1,  the  dylentcry  prevailing  at  New- 
Haven,  he  was  feized  with  it,  and  his  life 
imminently  endangered  ;  but,  by  the  blelF- 
ing  of  God,  he  recovered. 

In  the  fummer  of  1752,  he  was  fubjedt- 
ed  to  a  he<fl:ic  complaint.  This  was  the 
fiftieth  year  from  the  firit  Commencement 
at  Yale  College,  holden  in  September,  1702. 
At  the  Prefident's  dehre,  he  compofed  a 
Latin  half-century  oration  for  the  Com- 
mencement ;  though  fo  deeply  in  decline, 
as  to  render  it  doubtful,  whether  he  would 
be  able  to  pronounce  it.  One  of  his  fellow- 
tutors,  therefore,  committed  it  to  memoiy, 
to  deliver  it  for  him,  that  this  era  might  not 
pafs  without  celebration.  With  difficulty, 
however,  he  delivered  it  himfelf. 

This  year  he  was  invited  to  a  fettlement 
in  the  miniftiy  at  Kenfmgton  ;  but  he  de- 
clined the  invitation.  The  exercife  of 
preaching  being  prejudicial  to  his  health,  he 
determined  to  purfue  the  profeffion  of  the 
law,  and  applied  himfelf  to  the  ftudy  of  it 
—not  without  the  influence  of  religious 
confiderations,  hereafter  to  be  noticed. 

Ill 

*  ProfefTor  Meir^s'  Funeral  Oration. 


24  THE     LIFE    OF 

In  November,  1753,  he  took  the  Attor- 
ney's oath,  before  the  County  court,  at 
New-Haven  ;  and  pradifed  at  the  bar  tllf 
1755.  During  this  period,  he  read  the  beft 
Inftitutes,  and  the  principal  Reports.  He 
examined  the  Jus  Civile  ;  but  chiefly  ftud- 
ied  the  Common  Law  of  England,  it  being 
moft  ufed  in  the  colonies.  He  acquainted 
himfelf  with  the  law-pradice  in  Connedti- 
cut.  He  ah'b  learned  the  political  conftitu- 
tions,  and  the  judicial  procedures,  of  all  the 
XIII  Britifh  provinces  ;  and,  to  facilitate  the 
acquifition  of  this  knowledge,  in  his  jour- 
neys through  five  of  thefe  provinces,  he 
fought  interviews  with  the  gentlemen  of  the 
law.  Not  limiting  his  refearches  to  ftatute- 
books,  and  local  fyftems  of  jurifprudence, 
he  examined  the  great  principles  of  the  law^s 
of  nature  and  of  nations  ;  the  forms  of  an- 
cient governments.;  and  the  ad;ually  exift- 
ing  conftitutions  of  the  various  empires  of 
the  world.  "  Having  ftudied  the  law,  with 
a  view  to  make  it  his  profeffion,  he  had 
obtained  juft  conceptions  of  the  nature  and 
extent  of  that  fcience.  He  had  taken 
that  large  and  comprehenfive  view  of  it, 
which  Blackftone  fo  ftrongly  recommends 

to 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         25 

to  him,  who  wifhes  for  eminence  in  the 
profeflion."* 

What  now  appeared  to  be  merely  inci- 
dental, was  providentially  defigned  to  con- 
tribute toward  his  more  extenfive  qualifica- 
tion for  public  ufefulnefs.  The  legal  and 
political  knowledge,  thus  acquired,  enabled 
him  afterward,  when  in  the  prefidency,  to 
give,  with  peculiar  advantage,  occafional  lec- 
tures, on  law  and  government,  to  the  uni- 
verfity  at  large  ;  and,  at  the  fame  time,  to 
guide  the  ftudies,  and  facilitate  the  progrefs, 
of  fuch  particular  ftudents  as  were  deftined 
for  the  bar. 

At  the  public  Commencement,  in  1753, 
he  pronounced  a  Latin  oration,  in  memory 
of  Bilhop  Berkeley,  who  had  been  a  liberal 
benefactor  to  Yale  College,  and  who  died  in 
January  of  that  year. 

In  1 754,  his  health  being  in  fome  degree 
improved,  he  refolved  to  make  an  effediual 
trial  of  exercife  for  its  reftoration.  He, 
accordingly,  in  the  fummer  and  autumn, 
rode  to  Deerfield  ;  to  Newport  and  Bofton  ; 
to  New-York  and  Philadelphia  ;  and  thus 
journeyed  at  leaft  one  thoufand  miles.  In 
D  his 

*  Profeflbr  Meigs'  Funeral  Oration. 


26  THE    LIFE    OF 

his  eaftern  tour,  he  attended  the  Commence- 
ment at  Cambridge,  on  which  occafion  Pref- 
ident  Holyoke*  conferred  on  him  the  degree 
of  Mafter  of  Arts.  In  his  fouthern  tour, 
he  attended  the  New-Jerfey  Commencement. 
On  the  5th  of  February,  1755,  he  pro- 
nounced a  Latin  oration,  in  the  College  Hall, 
in  compliment  to  Dod:or  Franklin,  then  on 
a  vifit  to  the  literati  at  New-Haven.  This 
oration,  animated  with  the  fire  of  his  own 
eloquence,  records  the  interefting  difcoveries 
of  this  eminent  philofopher,  and  anticipates, 
with  prophetic  aflurance,  the  triumphs  of 
Science  in  America,  f 

Great 

*  "  Prefident  Molyoke  was  of  a  noble  commanding 
prefence.  He  was  perfe(5lly  acquainted  with  academic 
matters,  and  moderated  at  Commencements  with  great  dig- 
nity." Prefident  Stiles'  Literary  Diary- 

■j-  Quippe  hie  Vir,  Auditores,  mirandas  quafdam  Natu- 
rae leges,  et  arcanas  adhuc,  nuper  enucleavit.  Stupendam 
vim  operationefque  tremendas  Electricitatis,  proprio 
fuo  Marte  detexit.  Hanc  Naturse  vim  Grsci  olim 
EAEHTfov  appellarunt  ;  quae  latiiis  clariiifque  patuit  ab  ex- 
perimentis  Haukfbcianis.  De  eadem  vero  maxime  igno- 
rarunt  Philofophi  immo  hodierni,  donecdum  decern  forte 
annis  inde  peraftis,  cum  ad  ejufdem  leges  inveftigandas 
experimentis  Eleclrlcifmi  fe  fortiter  applicuere.  Et  quan- 
quam  plurima  Europjei  et  quidem  mirabilia  ejufdem 
phaenomena  ab  experimentis  invcnerint,  tamen  de  gene- 

ralibus 


PRESIDENT  STILES. 

Great  minds  by  inflincl  to  each  other  turn, 
Demand  alliance,  and  in  friendfhip  bum.     Addifon. 


27 


Thefe  two  inquifitive  and  philofophlc  minds, 
as  if  touched  at  the  fame  inftant  by  the  fubtil 
eledric  fluid,  glowed  with  the  ardour  of  mu- 
tual 

ralibus  illlus  legibus  ferme  nihil  didiciflent,  priufquam  ille 
immortalis  FRANKLINUS,  Philofophus  nofter  Ameri- 
canus,    viam    femitamque    ratiocinii    electrici    patefecit, 

dedit,  et  edocuit. Phaenomena  haec  tremenda 

non  tantum  explicuit  ;  fed  eorum  vim,  ne  noceant,  de- 
pellere  docuit  :  et  monftravit  uti  fatale  hoc  fluidum  a 
cufpidibus  ferreis  innoxium  e  nubibus  dehauriatur.  Unde 
templa,  domicilla,  naves,  et  vita    animalium    a    tonitru 

fulgureque    falventur. Literse  autem, 

Auditores,  et  literatum  Maccenates,  nuper  tantummodo 
inter  haec  deferta,  folitudines  hafce  Americanas,  extitere. 
Quapropter  tantopere  cum  hoc  homine  deleclamur  : 
quippe  inter  hiteratos  noftrates  princeps  adftat.  Cum 
vero  liters  ab  Europa  adve<5taE  Atlantium  tranfvolavere 
primo,  infantuli  fuinius  dui  ;  nunc  autem  viri  adilamus 
in  te  gloriantes,  6  Philofophise  princeps  !  Nee  dubitamus 
quin  cito  Newrtonos,  Halleios,  Berkeleios,  Lockeiofque 
habuerimus.  Nam  fi  modo  quis  Americam  perfpiciat, 
praefertim  Anglicanam,  bonarum  artium  ftudia,  fcientias 
liberalefque   difciplinas,   non   mediocri   frudtu    inter    nos 

excoli  et  efflorere   viderit. Nofque  reconditis  in 

artibus,  earumque  myfteriis  profundls,  Europaeis  ftatim 
fuperaduros,  audader  vaticinor. 

To  fome  unclaj/ical  expreffions,  in  the  above  extrad,  the 
rigid  critic  may  be  ready  to  objedl,  what  a  certain  writer 
objected  to  Erafmus  : — "  Hand  dubie  cunctis  admirabilior 
futurus,   fi   Latinse   lingus   conditores   graviter  imitari, 

quam 


28  THE    LIFE    OF 

tual  efteem.  Their  repeated  interviews,  at 
this  time,  cemented  a  friendfhip,  which  was 
never  afterward  diflblved. 

In  April,  being  invited  to  preach,  during 
the  vacation,  at  Newport,  in  Rhode-Ifland  ; 

he 

quam  fervldo  properantique  ingenio  Indulgere  maluilTet." 
It  might  fuffice  to  reply,  That  it  is,  perhaps,  impoflible 
for  the  Moderns  to  adhere  perfe<5lly  to  the  excellent  mod- 
els furnifhed  by  the  Ancients.  The  one  may  have  many 
ideas,  which  the  others  had  not,  and  for  the  expreflion  of 
■which  ne'u)  'words  are  neceffary.  If  Cicero  was  unac- 
quainted with  elefiricity,  it  were  idle  to  look  for  a 
Ciceronean  word  to  exprefs  it.  But,  as  Dr.  Stiles  took 
confiderable  liberty  in  the  ufe  of  words,  in  his  vernacular 
tongue,  as  well  as  in  the  learned  languages,  I  here  offer 
his  defence,  in  the  words  of  Muretus  ; — *'  Etiam  fi  hoc 
demus,  novata  effe  multa  ab  iis  qui  poll  Ciceronem  fue- 
runt,  quid  caufse  eft,  cur  ea  rejicere  debeamus  ?  Quorfus 
igitur  illud  Horatii  ?    Ut  folia  infilvis  :  et  illud  ; 

-Uciiit,  femperqtie  liccbit 

Signatu77i  prxfcnte  notu.  procadere  nummum, 
Nonne  Cicero  et  verba  novavit  ipfe,  et  Catonem,  Varro- 
nem,  Brutum,  aliofque  ut  idem  facerent  hortatus  eft  ? 
An  fortaffis  perfonale  illud  privilegium  fuit  ;  ut  cum 
Cicerone,  et  cum  iis  hominibus  extindum  effe  videatur  ? 
hicompreheiifihile  Ciceroni  fingere  licuit  :  quidni  aliis  alia 
ad  eundem  modum  poftea  licuerit  ?"  Great  judgment, 
however,  is  neceflary  in  the  ufe  of  this  liberty,  and  a  nice 
attention  to  the  idioms  orianguage.  The  Romans,  it 
has  been  obferved,  were  fo  cautious,  that  we  can  hardly 
l^nJ  eight  or  ten  new  words  produced  by  Terence, 
Caccilius,  Cicero,  Hortcnfius,  Auguftus,  Meflala,  Poliio, 
and  Sergius  Flavlus,  in  the  courfe  of  two  or  three  ages. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         29 

he  went,  for  the  benefit  of  the  journey, 
and  with  no  view  of  fettlement.  In  May, 
the  fecond  Church  and  Congregation  in  that 
town,  gave  him  a  unanimous  call  to 
fettle  with  them  in  the  miniftry.  This 
embarrafled  him,  as  he  had  fully  determined 
to  continue  in  the  practice  of  the  law. 
Though  he  returned  to  New-Haven,  re- 
folved  not  to  accept  the  invitation  ;  yet,  by 
the  advice  of  his  moft  judicious  friends,  he 
re-confidered  the  fubjeO:  ;  and,  w4th  his 
ufual  ferioufnefs  of  deliberation,  formed  his 
ultimate  judgment,  "  At  length,"  to  ufe 
his  own  language,  "  partly,  my  friends, 
elpecially  my  father's  inclination  ;  partly,  an 
agreeable  town,  and  the  Redwood  library  ; 
partly,  the  voice  of  Providence  in  the  una- 
nimity of  the  people  ;  partly,  my  love  of 
preaching,  and  profpe£l  of  more  leifure  for 
purfuing  ftudy,  than  I  could  expert  in  the 
law — which,  however,  I  love  to  this  day — 
induced  me  to  yield,  and  I  gave  an  affirm- 
ative anfwer  to  the  Church  and  Society." 
Three  attornies,  this  year,  relinquiihed 
their  profeffion  for  the  miniftry  ;  but  fuch 
inftances  are  rare.  ProfefTor  Wales  being 
once  afked  by  a  lawyer,  How  It  happened, 

that 


30  THE    LIFE     OF 

that  while  many  leave  the  defk  for  the  bar, 
fo  very  few  leave  the  bar  for  the  defk  I 
replied,  with  claffical  promptitude  : 

Facilis  defcenfus  Averni  : 

Sed  revocare  gradura  fuperafque  evadere  ad  auras 
Hoc  opus,  hie  labor  eft.  ^^''g' 

At  the  Commencement  in  September,  he 
Tefigned  the  tutorfhip,  after  having  filled 
that  office  fix  years  and  a  half,  with  fmgular 
ufefulnefs  and  dignity,  and  with  the  highefl 
refpect  and  afFedion  of  his  pupils.  He  had 
tlie  tutorial  care  of  five  clafTes,  four  of  which 
lie  conducted  through  a  courfe  of  Mathe- 
matics and  Natural  Philofophy.  The  whole 
number  of  his  immediate  pupils  was  one 
hundred  and  ten.  While  a  refident  grad- 
uate and  a  tutor,  together  with  his  purfuit  of 
the  various  branches  of  literature,  and  of 
theology,  he  paid  particular  attention  to  the 
ftudy  of  philofophy  and  aftronomy  ;  and 
his  experiments  in  the  one  fcience,  with  his 
calculations  in  the  other,  compofe  a  manu- 
fcript  quarto  volume. 

"As  a  Tutor,  he  was  juflly  confidered 
as  one  of  the  beft  qualified  to  execute  that 
important  truft.  He  delighted  equally  in 
the  acquifition  and  the  communication  of 
fcience.      This  ofiice  gave  him  free  accefs 

to 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         31 

to  books,  to  literary  company,  and  conver- 
fation  ;  and  fo  delightful  was  the  employ- 
ment to  him,  that  he  continued  in  that  fitu- 
ation  a  much  longer  period  than  is  ufual  ; 
for,  of  about  one  hundred  tutors,  who  have 
taught  in  this  Seminary  fmce  its  foundation, 
not  more  than  five  or  fix  have  continued 
fo  long  in  office,"* 

A  certain  portion  of  the  life  which  we 
are  recording,  although  pafled  over  already 
in  a  general  review,  is  worthy   of  a  more 
minute  attention.      The    narrative  already 
given,  relating  to  this  period,  refpe£ls  prin- 
cipally the  exterior  hiftory   of  Mr.  Sftles  ; 
that  which  remains  to  be  given,  will  exhibit 
a  view  of  his  mind.     The  period  referred 
to,  extends  from  the  year  1 747  to  the  year 
1 754  ;  and  it  was  the  moft  critical,  perhaps 
the  moft  inftrudtive,  of  his  whole  life.     It 
was  the  moft  critical,  becaufe  it  was  a  period^ 
in  which  his  religious  principles  were  moft 
feverely  tried,  and  in  which  he  was  in  im- 
minent danger  of  making  fhipwreck  of  his 
faith.     It  is  peculiarly  inftrudtive,  as  it  fur- 
nifties  an  example  of  a  fair  and  diligent  en- 
quiry concerning  the  divine  authority  of  the 

facred 

*  Profeflbr  Meior^  Funeral  Oration. 


32  THE     LIFE     OF 

facred  Scriptures  ;  of  an  ingenuous  opennefs 
of  mind  to  convidtion  according  to  the  de- 
gree of  evidence  ;  of  the  maintenance  of 
a  good  confcience  under  very  trying  temp- 
tations ;  and  of  an  ultimate  eftablifhment 
in  the  truth,  as  it  is  in  Je/ns^  to  his  great 
comfort  in  life,  and  hope  in  death. 

It  merits,  efpecially,  the  ferious  attention 
of  modern  unbelievers,  who  might  claim 
greater  refpedl,  if,  inftead  of  being  fafcinat- 
ed  with  the  names  of  Voltaire,  Bolingbroke, 
and  Hume,  and  rejedting  revelation  under 
the  fandlion  of  their  examples,  they  would, 
like  this  noble  Berean,  fearch  the  Scrip- 
tures with  diligence  and  candour,  and, 
like  him,  religioufly  feek  inftrudion  from 
Heaven.  Let  the  infidel  who  denies,  or 
the  fceptic  who  doubts,  the  authenticity 
of  the  Bible,  be  but  as  afTiduous  as  he 
was,  in  examining  the  evidences  for  and 
againft  it,  and  equally  ready  to  follow  the 
light  of  truth,  w^herever  it  may  lead  him ; 
and  he  will  merit  honour,  as  a  man  ;  if,  in 
the  refult,  he  do  not  claim  the  higher  hon- 
our of  a  Chriftian. 

In  the  year    1 767,  he  wTOte  "  A  Birth- 
Day  Memoir,"  including  an  account  of  that 

memorable 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  33 

"memorable  period  of  his  hiftory,  now  to  be 
cenfidered,  the  fubftance  of  which  is  fub- 
joined  in  his  own  words. 

"  Early  prepofTeffed  againft  diaries,  as 
being  hypocritical,  and  containing  rather 
what  we  v/ould  wilh  to  be  efteemed  by  oth- 
ers, than  what  we  really  are,  and  have  been  ; 
I  have  very  much  avoided  to  commit  to 
writing  the  religious  ilate  of  my  foul,  and 
the  courfe  of  thofe  experiences  in  the  di- 
vine life,  with  which  it  has  pleafed  God  to 
blefs  me.  However,  I  purpofe  now  to  take 
a  fummary  review  of  my  life.* 

"  My  pious  father  early  taught  me  to 
pray  to  God,  and  choofe  him  for  my  ever- 
lafting  Friend,  giving  me  the  moft  tremen- 
dous apprehenfion  of  dying  out  of  his  fa- 
vour. From  at  leafi  the  time  I  was  feven 
years  old  to  this  day,  that  is,  for  about  the 
laft  thirty  years  of  my  life,  I  have,  in  gene- 
ral, maintained  daily  fecret  prayer  to  the 
moft  high  God  ;  ufually  morning  and  even- 
ing, befides  ejaculatory  intervening  addrefles. 
Some  intermiifions  of  this  duty  I  humbly 
acknowledge  ;  fome  days  have  elapfed  ia 
E  entire 

*  He  continued,  after  this,  to  think  more  favourably* 
cf  diaries,  and  recommended  them  to  fome  of  his  ferious 
pupils. 


34  THE    LIFE    OF 

entire  negfed,  though  always  with  remorfe  j 
and  fometimes  fof  months  a  formality  little 
better  than  negleQ  ;  but  fcarcely  any  months 
without  fome  fervent  fupplications.  I  can- 
not be  confident,  but  I  think  for  the  laft 
twenty  years  I  have  never  omitted,  certain- 
ly for  many  years  paft  I  do  not  know  that  I 
have  ever  negleded,  this  daily  duty.  The 
burden  of  my  prayers  has  confifted  of  ado- 
ration of  the  glorious  Majefty  of  the  uni- 
verfe  ;  lamentation  of  my  finfulnefs  ;  and 
eameft  fupplication  that  I  may  be  dire(5ted 
in  all  truth,  and  to  final  happinefs. 

"  About  the  year  1 747,  till  which  time  I 
was  full  of  the  fentiments  of  Calvinifm,  I 
had  great  folicitude  about  my  being  eleded. 
When  unable  to  determine  myfelf  of  the 
happy  number  elected  to  mercy,  I  came  to 
an  inftant  conclufion,  which  has  abode  with 
me  ever  fince,  that,  if  predeftinated  to  mif- 
ery,  yet  that  mifery  would  be  lefs,  the  lefs  I 
finned,  and  the  more  earneftly  I  fought  the 
divine  favour.  From  this  time  I  more  vig- 
oroufly  refolved  to  refrain  from  fin,  if  not 
to  obtain  heaven,  of  which  I  faw  no  prof* 
ped,  yet  to  mitigate  the  torments  of  dam- 
nation, 

"  Through 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  35 

"  Through  the  mercy  of  God,  and  the 
terrible  apprehenfions  of  accumulated  mif- 
ery,  I  have  ever  been  kept  from  atrocious 
(ins.  The  admonitions  of  confcience,  and 
the  dread  of  future  v^rath,  have  been  ever 
vigorous  within  me,  and  fecured  me  in  ma- 
ny violent  temptations. 

"  In  the  years  1 747  and  1 748,  I  had  not 
indeed  a  difbelief,  but  I  was  in  a  ftate  of 
fcepticifm,  and  ardently  fought  a  clear  belief 
of  the  being  and  attributes  of  God.  Clofe 
attention  to  Dr.  Clarke's  demonftration,*  in 
J  747,  and,  above  all,  to  the  views  of  fur- 
rounding  nature,  at  length  pretty  fully 
eftablilhed  me  in  this  fundamental  doctrine. 
From  thence  to  1750  I  ftudied,  and  had  no 
difficulty  in  receiving  the  Scriptures  for  the 
word  of  God.  But  in  1750  a  converfation 
with  a  young  gentleman,  of  an  amiable  and 
virtuous  charadter,  firfl  raifed  in  me  fcruples 
and  doubts  refpedting  Revelation,  which 
have  coft  me  many  a  painful  hour.  By 
this  time  I  was  fo  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  the  Scriptures,  that  I  had  no  doubt 
what  were  the  fundamental  do£trines  of 
Revelation  ;  but  I  had  a  flrong  doubt  wheth- 
er 

*  Demonftratlon  of  the  being  and  attributes  of  God. 


^6  THE    LIFE    OF 

er  the  whole  was  not  a  fable  and  delufion. 
I  was  alone,  there  being  no  perfon  of  my 
acquaintance,  except  the  young  gentleman 
above  mentioned,  who  laboured  with  thefe 
doubts.     Nor  could   I  unbofom  myfelf  to 
any  for  relief.     I  had  begun  to  preach  iu 
1749  ;  and  my  doubts  increafmg  till  1752, 
I  determined  to  lay  afide  preaching,  and  ac- 
tually adopted  the  ftudy  of  the  law,   and 
took  the  attorney"^s  oath  in  1753.     An  in- 
firm  ftate  of  health,  at  this  time,  was  a  fufE-i. 
cient  pretext  to  relinquifh  preaching.     But, 
at  the  fame  time,  I  moft  alTiduoufly  applied; 
to  the  ftudy  of  the  evidences  of  revelation  3. 
read  through  the  Bible  with  the  clofeft  criti- 
cifm  and  examination  ;  compared  its  feveral 
parts  v.'ith  each  other,  and  the  whole  with 
profane  hiftory ;  and  fo  far  imbibed  and  felt 
the  prevalence  of  evidence  in  its  favour,  that, 
by  1754,   I  had  acquired  a  ftrong  and  pre- 
vailing preponderaacy  to  the  belief  of  revela- 
tion.    It  foon  appeared  to  be  the  heft  fyftem, 
on  the  foot  of  natural   religion ;  and  I  faw 
that  all  the  objections  againft  it  v/ere  rather 
prefumptive  indudlions  from  the  multitude  of 
abfurd  religions  and  impoftures,  than  of  the 
leaft  real  conclufion  againft  that  pcfitive  evi- 
dence, taken  from  prophecy  and  miracles,  (as 

well 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  37 

well  as  internal  confiflency  and  dignity,) 
which,  if  real,  gave  a  demonflration.  I 
could  not  fay  any  thing  againft  the  fulfilment 
of  prophecy,  and  the  Chriftian  miracles,  but 
what  would  equally  overturn  the  credit  of 
all  hiftory. 

"  From  Dupin  and  others  I  foon  became 
fatisfied  that  the  Scriptures  were  fufficiently 
genuine  ;  that  the  Old  Teftament  and  its 
prophecies  were  complete,  in  their  prefent 
Hate,  about  the  period  of  the  captivity,  and 
fome  hundred  years  before  Chrift.  This 
was  afcertained  from  the  Jews'  retaining  the 
Hebrew  Scriptures,  and  from  their  fufficient 
identity  in  the  Septuagint  tranflation,  and 
Samaritan  Pentateuch.  The  various  read- 
ings of  the  Old  and  New  Teftaments  did 
not  overthrow  their  reality.  One  prophecy 
was  certainly  verified  in  the  difperfion  of 
the  Jews.  This  evinced  that  oracular  infpi- 
ration  was  converfant  in  the  facred  volumes. 
The  deftruc^ion  of  Jerufalem  accorded  to 
the  prophecy  of  Chrift,  whofe  life  and  doc- 
trines all  allowed  to  be  holy  and  unblemifh- 
ed.  I  think  thefe  and  fimilar  confiderations 
gained  a  bias  towards  Revelation.  Add  to 
this,  that,  with  an  honeft  and  fmcere  mind, 
I  daily  implored  the  Father  of  lights  for  a 

fatibfa^^ory 


38  THE    L  I F  E     O  F 

fatlsfaiflory  convidion  on  this  fubje£k  5 
and  that,  at  all  events,  I  might  find  mercy 
and  acceptance  with  a  God,  whom  I  feared, 
adored,  and  loved.  I  was  always  charmed 
with  the  charadier  of  the  Saviour,  who,  in 
every  refpeft,  appeared  to  me  infinitely  fu- 
perior  to  the  beft  philofophers,  both  as  to 
fublimity  of  docSlrine,  and  purity  of  morals. 
But  his  incarnation  was  a  difficulty  ;  whether 
he  were  fuppofed  to  be  coeternal  with  the  Fa- 
ther, or  the  higheft  cheated  being.  Irj  either 
cafe,  it  appeared  a  condefcenfion  amazingly 
too  great,  to  become  incarnate,  and  fubmit 
to  fuch  a.fcene  of  indignity  and  fuiFerings, 
to  recover  even  the  whole  of  fuch  an  infi- 
nitefimal  part  of  the  univerfe  as  this  little 
defpicable  world,  of  whofe  deplorable  apof- 
tacy  and  ruin  I  had  always  a  moll  awful 
fenfe,  and  never  the  leaft  doubt.  I  longed 
for  the  joy  of  feeing  the  redemption  of 
Jefus  a  verity.  I  had  thus  obtained  a  pre- 
ponderancy  tovvrards  Chriftianity,  and  a  de- 
termination not  to  remit  the  fearch,  till  I 
.obtained  a  fuU  and  entire  fatisfacStion.  Vir- 
tue I  loved,  and  ardently  prayed  and  wifli- 
ed  moft  fincerely  to  poiTefs  it.  It  was  my 
defire  to  be  what  my  Creator  would  have 

me 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         39 

me  to  be.  Thefe  difquifitions  I  had  profe- 
cuted  with  great  attention,  daily  prayer,  and 
a  very  honeft  mind.  I  refolved  nothing 
fliould  determine  me  in  religion  but  the 
truth.  To  the  v/ill  of  God  I  bowed  with 
lowly  and  fubmiflive  reverence.  Thefe  re- 
fearches  I  purfued  with  no  prejudice,  but 
with  a  moft  unbiafled  impartiality,  at  a  time 
when  I  had  no  thoughts  of  the  miniftry  ; 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  while  I  had  af- 
fumed  a  very  different  vocation,  in  which, 
however,  I  had  refolved  to  aim  at  the  mofl 
tmblemifhed  redlitude  and  purity  of  heart 
and  life.  I  made  thefe  refearches  only  for 
the  fake  of  my  owm  perfonal  religion,  and 
that  I  might  be  at  peace  with  my  God. 

"^  I  was  not  clear  in  the  fjpreme  divinity 
and  atonement  of  Jefus  ;  but  was  fatisfied, 
if  Revelation  was  true,  that  the  excellency 
and  dignity  of  his  character  were  the  bafis  of 
all  acceptance  with  God,  and  accordingly 
entirely  relied  on  a  union  and  connexion 
with  him  for  falvation  ;  and  to  all  his  in- 
ftitutes  and  laws  I  moft  freely  fubmitted. 
I  believed  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be  the  great 
Illuminator  and  Sand:ifier  of  men.  In  the 
courfe   of  my    enquiries,  I  had  renounced 

.     all 


40  THE    LIFE     OF 

all  human  authority  and  decUlons  on  re- 
ligion :  and  my  appealing  only  to  Scripture, 
and  not  to  the  Confeflions  of  Faith,  was 
the  true  reafon  of  my  being  reputed  an  Ar- 
minian  :  for  I  had  not  been  converfant  in 
any  of  the  controverfies  in  divinity,  nor 
did  r  trouble  myfelf  about  them,  as  I  had 
higher  matters  to  fettle.  I  early  determin- 
ed that,  in  whatever  I  trifled,  I  would  not 
trifle  on  the  fubjedt  of  religion  ;  or,  how- 
ever, if  I  fold  m.y  faith,  it  fliould  be  dearly 
bought^  Hence  when,  in  January^  17551 
I  had  a  formal  invitation  from  the  Epifcopal 
church  in  Stratford,  to  conform,  and  fuc- 
ceed  Dodlor  Johnfon,*  with  at  leaft;^ioo 
fterling  a  year ;  and,  before  that^  in  Odober^ 
1752,  when  I  fufl;ained  a  vigorous  applica- 
tion to  take  orders,  and  become  a  minifler 
in  the  Epifcopal  church  in  Newport,  then 
reprefented  as  a  living  of  ;((*200  fterling  a 
year ; — I  thank  God,  none  of  thefe  things 
moved  me,  nor  addrefied  me  with  the  leaft 
charm  or  temptation.       I   was,   indeed,  at 

this 

*■  Doctor  Johnfon  had  lately  accepted  the  prefidency 
of  King's  College,  novv-  called  Columbia  College  ;  the 
prefidency  of  which  is  rcrpcctably  filled  by  the  Honoura- 
ble Samuel  W.  Johnfon,  LL.  D.  a  fon  of  the  farmer 
Preildent. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         41 

this  time,  inclined  to  deifm  ;  I  was  not 
difpofed  to  profefs  a  mode  of  religion,  which 
I  did  not  believe,  for  the  fake  of  a  living. 
If  Chrijiianity  was  true,  it  was  no  doubt 
with  me,  whether  Epifcopacy  and  the  Lltiir^ 
gy  were  a  part  of  it.  If  the  former  refted 
on  divine  authority ;  the  latter,  I  was  cer- 
tain, refted  on  human. — ^As  nearly  as  I  can 
now  recoiled:,  thefe  were  my  governing 
views  about  religion,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
feven,  1754. 

"  Having  acquired  this  fatisfadion  con- 
cerning Revelation,  I  next,  in  1754,  availed 
myfelf  of  journies  to  Bofton,  New- York, 
and  Philadelphia,  to  attend  the  worfhip  of 
all  religious  denominations  ;  and  determin- 
ed, by  hiftory,  to  inform  myfelf  of  all  the 
feds  in  the  Chriftian  world.  This  fum- 
mer,  at  Newport,  I  went  to  the  Quakers' 
Meeting  ;  at  Bofton,  to  the  Congregational 
and  Epifcopal  Churches  ;  at  New-York,  to 
the  Epifcopal  and  Dutch  Calvinift  Churches  ; 
at  Philadelphia,  to  the  Quakers,  the  Roman 
Catholics,  and  others — with  a  fair  and  un- 
prejudiced mind.  Thus  I  foon  difcerned 
the  preference,  and  was  confirmed  in  that 
form  of  worfhip,  in  which  I  had  been  edu- 
F  cated. 


42  THE    LIFE    OF 

cated,  and  which  I  was  convinced  was  near- 
eft  the  apoilolic  form,  and  fcripture  model ; 
and  became  happily  eftablifhed  in  the  re- 
ligion, in  which  I  purpofe,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  to  live  and  to  die. 

"  By  1755,  my  doubts  having  given  way, 
I  could  honeftly  devote  myfelf  to  the  fervice 
of  the  great  Immanuel.  Juft  as  I  had 
emerged  from  deifm,  or  rather  the  darknefs 
of  fcepticifm,  (for  I  never  was  a  difbeliever, 
I  only  wanted  light)  it  pleafed  the  great 
Head  of  the  church  to  open  a  door  at  New- 
port, contrary  to  my  views,  being  then  ful- 
ly bent  for  the  law,  and  having  two  doors 
open,  inviting  my  immediate  fettlement  in 
that  profeffion,  vv'-ith  a  good  profped:  of  fuc- 
cefs  in  either.  I  thank  God,  I  ever  revered 
his  providence,  and  fubmitted  myfelf  to  its 
over-ruling  guidance, — I  had  now  little  ob- 
je(Stion  on  the  head  of  incredulity,  the 
clouds  of  fcepticifm  having  evaniflied.  In  a 
word,  I  eyed  the  providence  of  God  in 
hitherto  withholding  my  entrance  into  the 
ininiftry ;  and,  being  always  ready  to  ferve 
my  God,  I  hope  from  truly  religious  views, 
I  accepted  a  unanimous  invitation  of  the 
church  and  congregation,  though  on  a  fmall 

falar}^, 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  43 

falary,  and  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the 
miniflry." 


A  Review  of  thofe  Authors,  which  he 
read  during  the  rife,  height,  and  de- 
cline, of  his  fcepticifm,     (Written  in 

1768.) 

"  IN  1747  I  read  with  attention  Doctor 
Clarke's  Deiyionjl ration  of  the  being  and  attri- 
butes of  God ;  but  did  not  find  entire  fatif- 
fadlion.  I  proceeded  through  his  evidences 
of  Naturahand  Revealed  Religion  ;  but  did 
not  find  his  arguments  conclufive  for  either. 
I  did  not  perceive  his  reafonings  fo  ftrong 
and  conclufive  as  I  had  been  accuftomed  to 
perceive  thofe  for  the  folar  fyftem,  mathe- 
matics, and  experimental  philofophy.*    For 

many 

*  The  learned  Grotiiis,  in  his  excellent  treatife  "  De 
Veritate  Religionis  Chriftianse,"  having  proved  the  truth 
of  Chriitianity  from  the  fads  of  the  life,  the  miracles,  the 
death,  and  the  refurrection  of  Chrift  ;  from  the  fuperior 
excellence  of  this  religion,  in  comparifon  with  all  others  ; 
and  from  its  v^'onderful  propagation  bv  weak  and  fimple 
inftruments  ; — adds  the  following  remark,  which  fhcws 
the  unreafonablenefs  of  looking  for  mathematical  demon- 
ftration,  on  moral -and  religious  fubj  eels  :  "  If  there  be 
?ftiy  one,  who  is  not  fatisfied  with  the  arguments  hitherto 

alleged 


44  THE    LIFE     OF 

many  years  I  had  been  fed  with  demon- 
ftration  as  to  fcience.  In  1748  I  read 
Shaftfbury's  Charaderiftics,  and  admired 
them  as  fublime  views  of  Nature,  and  of 
the  moral  government  of  the  Moft  High. 
1  was  particularly  charmed  with  his  rhap- 
fody.  At  tkis  time  I  had  no  thoughts  of 
deifm,  and  leaft  of  all  that  this  was  the 
deifts'  bible,  or  their  favourite  author^ 
though  fome  paffages,  in  the  third  volume, 
fhocked  me.  At  the  fame  time  I  read  and 
was  fo  highly  delighted  with  Pope's  Eflay 
on  Man,  that  I  committed  to  memory  the 
firft  Epiftle,  and  large  paragraphs  of  the 
other  Epiftles  j    and  repe^^ted  portions  pf  it 

frequently 

alleged  for  the  truth  of  the  Chriftian  religion,  but  defires. 
more  powerful  ones  ;  he  ought  to  know,  that  different 
things  muft  have  different  kinds  of  proof;  one  fort  in 
mathematics,  another  in  the  properties  of  bodies,  another 
in  doubtful  matters,  and  another  in  matters  of  fa<5t ;  in 
this  laft  cafe  we  are  to  abide  by  tliat,  whofe  teftim6njes 
are  void  of  all  fufpicion  :  Which  if  ic  be  not  admitted, 
not  only  all  hiRory  is  of  no  further  ufe,  and  a  great  part  of 
phyfic  ;  but  all  that  natural  afFedion,  which  is  between 
parents  and  children,  is  loft,  for  they  can  be  known  no 
other  way." — Even  Ariilotle  allows  :  t;:v  h  axf.foAcj/av  n^v 
^cc5r)iifMTr<Lm  ac.  iv  araa-iv  oLxavrtov-  "  Mathematical  Certainty  is 
not  to  be  fought  in  all  things."  The  true  flate  of  the 
queftion  concerning  the  proper  evidence  on  this  fubject  is 
ihewn  in  Butler's  Analogy,  Part  II.  Chap.  viii. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         45 

frequently  by  myfelf,  in  my  chamber,  and 
when  I  walked  or  rode  abroad.  I  read  the 
Dialogues  on  Education,  being  particularly 
delighted  witli  the  philofophic  rhapfody.  I 
read  alfo  Gaftrell's  and  Whifton's  Boyle's 
Le£lures,  and  much  in  Cicero's  works,  and 
in  Young's  Night  Thoughts,  which  I  read 
through  twice  in  1750. 

"  In  1 749  I  had  read  Taylor  on  the  Ro- 
mans, and  on  Original  Sin,  The  Key  of 
the  former  I  read  with  great  approbation, 
except  his  two-fold  juftification,  which,  to 
me,  was  always  abfurd.  But  I  never  could 
get  through  his  Paraphrafe,  nor  his  Piece  on 
Original  Sin,  to  this  day.  They  always 
appeared  to  me  to  ftumble  at  the  threfhold, 
I  alfo  read,  with  pleafure,  Scott's  two  vol- 
umes of  Sermons,  which  came  the  neareft  of 
any  to  my  ovfn  cafe.  His  folutions  of  the 
extirpation  of  the  Canaanites,  and  of  the  of- 
fering of  Ifaac,  were  conclufive  and  fatisfac- 
tory.  His  divinity  of  Chrift  I  rather  ac- 
quiefced  in,  though  was  not  fatisfied.  His 
preliminary  difcourfes  to  the  cjeftnce  of 
Revelation,  feemed  to  give  up  too  much  of 
Revelation,  and  reduced  it  to  Platonifm,  and 
a  republication  of  natural  religion.    I  was  not 

pleafed 


46  THE    LIFE     OF 

pleafed  with  his  explaining  away  the  eterni- 
ty of  future  punifhment,  becaufe  I  thought 
he  proceeded  on  principles  equally  giving  up 
the  perpetuity  of  happinefs.  I  judged  it 
a  too  great  conceffion  to  the  Deifts  ;  befides, 
the  Bible  feemed  to  aflert  it  pofitively.  With 
thefe  exceptions,  however,  he  proceeded  in 
the  moft  fair  and  generous  manner,  and  on 
conclufive  reafonings.  This  book  had  great 
weight  with  me.  At  this  time  I  alfo  read 
and  admired  the  Independent  Whig,  and 
fome  pamphlets  of  Taylor,  on  the  cafe  of  ex- 
communicating a  man  for  Arianifm  ;  all 
which  had  force  with  me. 

"About  1 75 1,  QX  1752,  I  read  Turnbuirs 
Moral  Philofophy.  I  was  pleafed  with  his 
fcheme  of  treating  moral,  as  Newton  had  treat- 
ed natural,  philofophy  ;  and  hoped  for  great 
afliftance.  Though  it  was  far  from  being  de- 
cifive,  I  fludied  it  with  great  attention,  and 
fome  advantage  ;  and  I  believe  it  gave  con- 
fiderable  complexion  to  my  religious  fenti- 
ments  and  compofitions.  But  I  did  not  find 
Newton  there.  I  read  Chevalier  Ramfay's 
two  quarto  volumes  ;  but  dilLelieved  univer.* 
fal  happinefs.  I  had,  previoufly  to  this,  read 
Butler's  Analogy,  which  is  a  mafterly  pro- 

du^^ion  J 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         47 

dudion  ;  but  it  ferved  little  more  than  to  re- 
move fome  rubbifh,  and  to  fhew  there  are 
no  greater  abfurdities  to  be  charged  againft 
revealed  religion,  than  againft  fome  of  the 
moft  acknowledged  principles  of  natural  re- 
ligion ;  and  fo  it  ftill  left  me  deftitute  of  the 
pofitive  evidence  of  Revelation.*  By  all 
thefe  authors,  I  had  advanced  fo  far  as  to  fee, 
that  Revelation  was  a  moft  rational  and  fub- 
lime  fcheme,  far  exceeding  natural  religion. 
I  only  wanted  to  fee  that  it  was  true,  and 
pofitively  of  divine  original. 

''  I  had  hitherto  not  feen  Tindal,  nor  been 
converfant  with  any  books,  that  directly  at- 
tacked Revelation. 

"In 

*  The  principal  defign  of  Butler's  Analogy  is  to  fhew 
the  unreafonablenefs  of  the  objedions  to  Revelation,  made 
by  thofe  who  profefs  natural  religion,  by  proving  that  the 
very  fame  may  be  urged,  with  equal  force,  againft  the 
religion  of  nature.  But,  to  prevent  a  miftake,  it  feems 
expedient  to  obferve,  that  the  viith  Chapter  of  the  lid 
Part,  entitled,  "  Of  the  Particular  Evidence  for  Chrif- 
tlanity,"  gives  a  fummary  view  of  two  pofitive  evidences — 
miracles  and  prophecy.  Perhaps  the  arguments  from 
thefe  topics  are  here  ftated  in  too  general  a  form  to  fat- 
isfy  the  hard  requirements  of  fcepticifm.  The  book  at 
large,  however,  remains,  I  believe,  unanfwered.  An 
Englifh  Reviewer  tells  us,  "  he  well  remembers  to  have 
heard  Mr.  Hume  fay,  that  Butler's  Analogy  was  the 
ableft  defence  of  Chriflianity  that  ever  was  written." 

Monthly  Reviews' fir  1786,  Jrt.  Butler. 


48  THE    LIFE    OF 

"  In  1 747, 1  read  and  believed  Dr.  Watts' 
tradt  on  the  Glories  of  Chrift  ;  and  particu- 
larly concurred  in  his  fentiment  of  the  pre- 
exiftent  ftate  of  Chrift's  foul.  I  had  a  high 
opinion  of  reafon,  and  thought  it  becoming 
a  rational  being,  to  entertain  nothing  for 
truth,  but  what  clearly  approved  itfelf  to 
reafon.  To  affift  me  in  compofing  fermons, 
I  read  Watts'  and  Evans'  Sermons,  and 
others  of  this  kind.  In  1750,  I  began  an 
accurate  reading  of  the  Scriptures  in  courfe, 
with  ,a  vigilant  criticifm.  Taylor,  Fofter, 
and  Scott,  had  brought  me  into  pretty  fixed 
fentiments,  that,  upon  the  Chriftian  plan, 
pardon  was  conferred  as  a  reward  of  Chrift's 
illuftrious  excellency  and  meritorious  virtue  ; 
but  not  on  his  propitiatory  and  vicarious  fac- 
rifice.  I  now  think,  that  this  was  being  juf- 
tified  in  virtue  of  another's  righteoufnefs, 
though  my  ideas  of  it  were  then  incomplete. 

"  What  I  believed  to  be  the  Scripture 
fcheme,  from  1750  to  1754,  I  only  wilhed 
to  know  was  the  truth,  and  that,  in  fad;,  it 
came  down  from  heaven.  But  though  it 
moft  highly  approved  itfelf  rational,  yet,  fo 
far  as  it  was  matter  of  Revelation,  it  ftill  re- 
mained with  me  to  be  proved  by  inconteftible 

evidences. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         49 

evidences.  And  to  this  end  I  purfued  the 
ftudy  of  the  Scriptures,  the  fmcerity  of  the 
writers,  the  age  and  occafion  of  their  writ- 
ings, the  genuinenefs  and  authenticity  of  the 
facred  books.  I  made  great  ufe  of  Dupin's 
Canon,  and  ecclefiaftical  hiftory,  of  the  an- 
cient fathers,  and  ecclefiaftical  hiftorians.  I 
perceived  great  verification  of  Scripture  fa£ts 
by  the  teftimony  of  other  hiftory. 

"  I  foon  became  entirely  fatisfied  with  the 
genuinenefs  and  fufEcient  authenticity  of  the 
Old  and  New  Teftaments,  in  the  originals 
come  down  to  us,  and  in  the  tranflation 
particularly  of  the  New  Teftament.  All 
difficulties  on  this  head,  I,  in  a  great  meafure, 
furmounted  by  1753  and  '1754:  But  the 
impoftures  of  Paganifm  and  Mahometanifm, 
and  the  legends  of  the  Romifh  church,  were 
inftances  of  falfe  teftimony  which  greatly 
embarraffed  me  :  For,  might  not  the  Scrip- 
tures be  in  the  fame  ftate  ?  They,  I  knew, 
were  more  confiftent  as  to  hifiiorical  fadts  : 
But  was  it  indeed,  fadt,  that  a  crucified  Jefus 
arofe  from  the  dead,  and  was  feen  of  his 
difciples  ?  I  dwelt  much  here,  and  turned 
the  fuppofition  of  impofture  every  way,  till 

light  dawned,  and  I  began  to  fee  that  the 
G  apoftles 


so 


THE    LIFE    OF 


apoftles  could  not  have  confpired  in  fo  uni- 
form a  teftimony  of  the  fad:,  in  oppofition 
to  Jews  and  idolaters,  at  different  times  and 
countries,  when  feparate  and  together,  in  all 
circumftances,  without  betraying  contradic- 
tions of  fa£ts,  and  abfurd  reprefentations  of 
their  Mailer's  dodtrine  ;  whereas  a  furprifuig 
confiftency  and  uniformity  prevailed,  fo  as 
to  affure  us  that  they  were  infpired  with  the 
genius  of  his  religion,  and,  though  moftly 
poor  ignorant  fifhermen,  carried  through 
the  world  a  religion,  furpaffmg  in  wifdont 
the  documents  of  the  moft  enlightened  phi- 
lofophers  ;  that  they  died  in  the  caufe,  when 
they  might  have  faved  life  and  reputation^ 
by  denying  their  Lord. 

"  I  alfo  confidered,  that  the  prefent  dif- 
perfion  of  the  Jews  was  unqueftionably  fore- 
told, ages  before  the  event,  if  the  prophecies 
were  authentic,  which  I  had  already  demon- 
ftrated,  fmce  found  in  thofe  Scriptures  which 
the  Jews  receive,  and  who  never  did  receive, 
nor  can  a  Deift  believe  they  ever  could  re- 
ceive, any  writings  forged  by  the  Chriftians, 
to  whom  they  were  inveterate  enemies. 
This  fdd:  was  a  ftanding  and  unqueftionable 
fulfilment  of  one  prophecy,  and  evinces,  that 

the 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  51 

the  Old  Teftament  contains  matters  which 
could  be  derived  from  infpiration  only — 
hence,  that  infpiration  had  been  converfant 
in  the  facred  writings.  If  fo,  I  felt  the  rea-. 
fonablenefs  of  prefuming,  that  there  was  more 
infpiration  in  the  Old  Teftament  than  what 
related  to  this  difperfion  ;  and  that  the  faireft 
way  was  to  examine  the  whole  as  infpired. 
This  opened  my  mind  to  the  difcerning  of 
more  and  more  of  this  infpiration,  particu- 
larly in  thofe  parts  which  inftituted  a  facrifi- 
cature  pointing  to  a  future  Meffiah,  which 
defcribe  his  fufferings,  and  the  future  glory 
of  his  kingdom.  All  which  gave  a  decifive 
turn  to  my  judgment,  perceiving,  and  thus 
being  made  to  feel,  the  real  evidences  and 
proofs,  that  the  facred  writings  contain  in-» 
ftrudtions  from  the  Fountain  of  infallibility, 
and  an  authoritative  inftitution  from  the 
Sovereign  of  the  univerfe.  This  had  already 
become  the  ft  ate  of  my  judgment  on  Reve- 
lation, when  I  devoted  myfelf  to  the  fervice 
of  Jefus,  in  the  miniftry  ;  ever  fmce  which, 
the  force  of  this  evidence  has  been  daily 
increafmg. 

"In    1756,  I  read  Tindal,   Collins,    and 
Boliiigbroke.       I     have    fmce    read    Lord 

'  KaimeSj 


SZ  THE    LIFE    OF 

Kaimes,  David  Hume,  Mandeville,  and  oth- 
ers. I  have  read  few  Anfwers  befide  Fofter's, 
which  is  an  excellent  one,  and  fome  Defences 
in  the  Boylean  Ledures,  all  of  which  I 
bought  in  1750.  I  have  read  but  few  Re-s 
plies,  becaufe  I  found  myfelf  able  to  obviate, 
to  my  own  fatisfa£lion,  any,  and  all  objec-^ 
tions,  the  moft  of  which  are  very  trifling. 

"  At  firft,  and  in  the  depth  of  my  fcepti- 
cifm,  I  found  myfelf  ready  to  demand  too 
much.  I  wanted  to  have  difplayed  before 
me,  demonftration  that  eveiy  word,  or  at 
leaft  every  fentiment,  in  the  Scriptures,  was 
^ioTryiu^oi;  [infpircd  by  God]  ;  and  was  liable  to 
have  my  faith  in  the  whole  overfet,  if  I 
found  one  infuperable  difficulty,  Newtor^ 
thought,  whether  the  pov\^er,  by  which  a 
ftone  falls  to  the  ground,  might  not  retain 
the  moon  in  her  orbit ;  and  then  went  on, 
and  demonftrated  the  law  of  Gravity,  ob- 
taining throughout  the  ftellary  univerfe.  In 
like  manner,  fome  one  principle  may  be  a 
7?v  ?rcoj  [bafis]  on  which  the  whole  fyftem  of 
Revelation  may  be  firmly  fupported.  Such 
is  the  fulfilment  of  prophecy  refpedting  the 
Jews  ;  fuch  is  the  fa6t  of  the  rcfurreclion  of 

Jefus. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  53 

Jefus.  Thefe  fa(3:s,  once  verified  and  be- 
lieved, have  amazing  connexions. 

"Accordingly,  having  once  entered  the 
Scriptures  with  this  belief,  I  have  not  only 
proceeded  to  fee  greater  evidence,  but,  in  the 
Scriptures  themfelves,  to  fee  new  truths,  and 
enlargements,  and  corredlions  upon  thofe 
dodrines,  which  I  but  imperfecStly  appre- 
hended to  be  there  before,  There  appears 
much  wifdom  in  delivering  the  Scriptures  at 
fundry  times,  and  in  divers  manners.  That 
authors  of  diftant  ages,  and  under  different 
difpenfations,  fhould  all  harmonioufly  con- 
fpire  in  communicating  what,  at  length,  forms 
the  great  fyftem  of  Revelation,  fliews  in- 
eonteftibly,  the  influence  of  a  fuperintending 
Mind,  and  unerring  Wifdom.  All  but  Jews 
fee  a  connexion  between  the  Old  and  New 
Teftaments.  But  the  Jews'  parting  from  us 
at  the  Old  Teftament,  (hews  that  there  has 
been  no  union  of  intereft,  no  concert  be- 
tween them  and  the  Chriflians,  to  form  a 
harmony.  And  yet,  do  we  not  fee  their 
fcheme  incomplete  without  the  Gofpel  ? 

"  I  have  feen  great  glory  in  the  dodrines 
of  Revelation,  fmce  I  have  ftudied  it  as  an 
infpired  volum.e.    I,  particularly,  now  clearly 

fee, 


54  THE     LIFE     OF 

fee,  that  the  whole  fcheme  of  the  Gofpel 
falvation  is  founded  on  a  fuppofition,  and 
certain  implication,  that  the  human  race  was 
totally  corrupted,  in  a  loft  and  ruined  ftate  ; 
^nd  that  its  redemption  is  wholly  founded 
on  the  vicarious  facrifice  of  the  Son  of  God  ; 
and  I  perceive  the  neceflity  of  regeneration 
by  divine  grace." 

After  ftating  the  religious  fentiments, 
which  he  had  been  imbibing  for  feveral 
years,  and  in  which  he  was  eflablifhed  when 
he  wrote  this  Review,  he  fubjoins  :  "  In 
general,  the  nriore  I  examine  the  Scriptures^ 
I  fee  the  more  reafon  to  believe  the  dodirines 
of  grace,  exhibited  in  the  confeftions  drawn 
up  at  the  Reformation,  and  particularly  held 
by  the  Puritan  divines  in  England,  and 
the  venerable  fathers  of  the  New-Englan^ 
churches.  I  thank  God,  that  I  have  lived 
to  obtain  this  precious  and  fatisfa£tory  faith 
in  the  moft  holy  religion  of  our  Lprd  |efu$ 
C'hrift." 

A  more  complete  view  of  the  means,  by 
which  he  became  thus  happily  eftablilhed 
in  the  Chriftian  faith,  appears  in  his  hijiruc- 
tio7is  o\\  this  fubjed,  in  a  Difcourle  preached 
foon  after  his  ordination  :  for  they  are  ob- 

viouily 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  s5 

vioufly  drawn  from  the  fources  of  his  own 
conviclion.  Inferring,  from  the  example  of 
the  noble  Bereans,*  that  It  becomes  men  to 
iearch  the  facred  writings,  and  from  them 
alone  to  derive  their  religious  principles,  he 
proceeds  to  give  Dire£tions  for  affifting  "  to 
an  advantageous,  pleafant,  and  fuccefsful 
ftudy  of  the  Scriptures."  The  illuftrations 
of  thefe  Directions  are  copious  and  learned, 
and  fhew  a  profound  enquiry  into  the  fub- 
je^s  to  which  they  refer. 

He  recommends — to  lay  afide  prejudice 
^to  let  the  fearch  be  thorough,  not  curfory 
and  fuperficial — to  inveftigate  the  leading 
principles  of  Revelation — to  become  ac- 
quainted with  fcriptural  chronology  and 
geography — to  conlider  the  nature  of  typi- 
cal and  allegorical  reafoning,  together  with 
the  manner  of  interpreting  figurative  expref- 
fions  in  general — to  attend  to  the  manner  in 
which  the  facred  writers  became  acquainted 
with  the  matters  they  delivered  ;  to  the 
manner  and  order  in  which  the  facred  books 
Were  compiled  ;  the  times  and  languages  in 
which  they  were  originally  written  ;  and 
the  particular  occafions  on  which  they  were 

compofed, 

*  Text,  A£ts  xvii.  1 1. 


^6  THE    LIFE    OF 

compofed.  *'  The  facred  writings,"  he  pro*> 
ceeds  to  remark,  "  have  been  tranfmitted 
down  to  our  times,  fufficiently  pure  and  un- 
corrupted.  No  waitings  of  antiquity  have 
come  down  to  the  times  of  printing,  with 
fb  much  evidence  of  their  genuinenefs,  as 
the  Scriptures.  The  various  readings  are 
trifling,  and  of  no  moment  in  the  general 
evidence.  For  notwithftanding,  by  fuper- 
ftitious  criticifm  on  a  multitude  of  copies,  and 
various  tranflations  of  the  New  Teftament  in 
particular,  and  the  voluminous  fathers  of  five 
centuries,  they  have  been  augmented  to  a 
great  number,  moft  of  which  confifl  of  dif- 
ferent orthography  and  pun(3:uation  only  ; 
yet  the  fenfe,  at  leafl  the  important  fenfe,  is 
entire  in  any  of  the  copies,  efpecially  in  the 
more  correct  ones.  From  the  few  copies  of 
Terence,  which  is  faid  to  be  in  the  beft  ftate 
of  any  of  the  claffic  writers,  with  a  lefs  fcru- 
pulous  exad:nefs,  have  been  collated  20,000 
various  readings  :  nor  is  it  to  be  doubted  if 
the  fame  number  of  copies  could  be  collated 
for  hifti,  that  have  been  for  the  New  Tefta- 
ment, double  that  number  might  be  found 
for  that  little  volume,  when  yet  the  fenfe  of 
each  fcene  and  ad  remains  entire.     The  like 

obfervation 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  57 

obfervation  might,  no  doubt,  be  made  for 
the  more  ancient  prophane  writings,  as  thofe 

of  Homer,  Thucydides,   and  others. 

No  one  acquainted  with  Jewifh  antiquity 
will  doubt  but  that  the  Hebrew  Scriptures 
were  in  being,  in  their  prefent  form,  about 
the  time  of  the  captivity,  and  in  the  time  of 
our  Saviour ;  fince  which  the  mutual  jeal- 
oufy  of  Jews  and  Chriflians  over  the 
holy  booksj  has  continued  their  abfolute  fe- 
curity  and  defence  againft  material  interpola- 
tion.  The  multitude  of  copies,  in  dis- 
tant churcheSj  fynagogues,  and  ages,  the 
famenefs  of  the  Hebrew  copies  among  Jews 
and  Chriftians,  and  the  general  correfpond- 
ence  of  all,  even  in  the  oriental  tranflations  5 
and,  laftly,  the  agreement  of  the  LXX.  and 
New  Teftament  copies  of  later  ages  with  the 
Alexandrian  manufcript-  evidently  of  the 
fourth  century,  confpire  in  fecuring  to  us  the 
genuine  writings  of  facred  antiquity,  with  a 
united  evidence  fuperior  to  what  can  be  ad- 
duced for  the  authenticity  of  any  other  an- 
cient writings.  We  have  much  clearer  evi- 
dence that  the  facred  oracles  are  tranfmitted 
to  us  entire,  than  we  have  for  the  works  of 
Hippocrates,  Herodotus,  Plato,  or  Philo,  in 
H  the 


^8  THE    LIFE    OF 

the  prefent  copies  of  which  laft,  however, 
we  do  not  doubt  ourfelves  to  have  the  genu- 
ine writings  of  thofe  authors." 

In  the  laft  place,  he  recommends,  that 
the  honeft  refearches  of  the  Scriptures  be 
accompanied  with  humble  fupplication  to 
the  Father  of  lights  for  inftru<Stion.  "  It  is 
not  to  be  doubted,"  he  obferves,  "  that  the 
omniprefent  Animator  of  all  things  can 
point  the  humaii  intellect  to  truth,  and,  by- 
operations  on  the  mind,  open  views,  not 
Indeed  to  be  diftinguilhed  from  the  riative 
elucidations  of  reafon ;  yet  with  this  differ- 
ence from  extraordinary  infpiration,  that  the 
one  is  always  known  to  be  frosti  God,  the 
other  not."  In  conformity  to  which  fen- 
timeiit,  in  another  manufcript  fermoh  he 
remarks  :  ^^  No  doubt  God  often  anfwers 
the  bumble  fmcere  requefts  of  pious  enqui- 
ters,  and  opens  a  train  of  thought,  and 
othfrwife    difclofes   views,   greatly   afliftant 

to  difcoveries  of  truth." "  It  is  doubt- 

lefs,"  he  proceeds  in  the  difcourfe  under  our 
review,  "  a  univerfal  law  in  the  moral  world, 
that  the  beftowment  of  the  moft  important 
favours  upon  intelligences  fhall  depend  on 
their  petitions," 

^  While, 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         59 

"  While,  then,  we  are  in  a  eourfe  of  read^ 
ing  the  feriptures,  in  moments  of  calm  reflec- 
tion we  may  often  fufFer  our  fouls  to  afcend 
to  God  in  the  following,  or  fimilar  ardent 
and  flncere  addrefles  :  O  my  God !  how 
faint  and  imperfed  are  my  views  of  thy 
infinite  perfections  and  glory,  of  thy  final 
purpofes  and  defigns.  T^is  univerfe  is  a 
vifibie  monument  of  the  unfeen  and  eternal 
mind :  But,  from  the  original  limitations  of 
the  human  capacity,  or  the  fubfequent  defec-r 
tion,  thy  omniprefence  efcapes  our  apprehenr 
fion.  To  know  that  thou  art,  requires  a 
fummoned  and  forced  attention  ;  but  to 
know  what  thou  art,  how  thou  fubfifteft, 
thine  eternal  counfels,  the  fcheme  thou  art 
carrying  on,  and  what  will  be  the  final  iffue 
of  it  with  regard  to  man,  is  infinitely  beyond 
us.  Compaflionating  our  ignorance  and  in- 
fenfibihty,  thou  hafl:  kindly  difclofed  a  reve- 
lation of  that  part  of  thy  grand  purpofes 
which  immediately  relates  to  us.  But,  as 
thou  fhineft  around  us  in  nature  unperoeiv* 
ed ;  fo  thou  fhineft  around  us  in  revelation 
unapprehended.  Unlefs  our  underftanding 
is  enlightened  by  thy  divine  radiance,  in 
vain  does   our  filmed  vifipn   turn  to   the 

noon-tide 


6q  the    life    of 

noon-tide  fplendour  of  truth,  thy  full  revealed 
moral  glories,  Without  this,  all  the  various 
ftriking  manifeftations  of  thyfelf  make  but 
feeble  and  tranfient  impreflions  on  my  fouL 

— Difpel,  O  my  God  !  the  mills 

which  becloud  my  mind Break  in  upon 

my  foul  with  the  irrefiftible  radian(;e  which 
beams  from  thy  inacceffible  glo^y.  Let  the 
all  controuling  fplendour  of  evangelical- 
truth,  and  the  certain  difcoveries  of  my  high 
connexions,  fweetly  bear  away  my  foul,  and 
ravifh  it  into  joyful  captivity.  Let  me  per- 
ceive thine  unparalleled  love  fo  clearly,  that, 
under  its  full  benign  influence,  I  may  be  cre- 
ated anew  in  Chrift  Jefus.  I  earneftly  long 
to  feel  and  uniformly  perceive  and  ad:,  as 
fuperior  fpirits,  or  as  Thou — ^forgive  me,  O 
my  moft  merciful  God — perceived,  a6teft. 
Difclofe  fuch  views  of  my  connexions  as 
may  difFufe  ferenity  in  my  breaft,  compofe 
and  reconcile  me  to  the  temporary  and 
everlafting  fubordinations  thou  ordaineft.  I 
do  not  aik  for  any  thing  beyond  my  capa- 
cities, or  which  would  he  inconfiftent  with 
the  cGurfe  of  thy  government  to  indulge  ; 
much  lefs  for  aught  which  would  either  be 
fi^eedlefs,  or  prove  a  new  fource  of  inquie^. 

tude. 


PRESIDENT   STILES.         6i 

tude.  I  humbly  implore  what  thy  wifdom 
fliall  judge  beft  to  impart.  Ever  keep  alive 
in  my  foul  thofe  realizing  and  compreheniive 
views  of  that  great  interefting  part  of  ever- 
lafting  providence,  difclofed  in  revelation, 
which  may  enliven  niy  fubmiflion,  guide 
and  animate  the  unfailing  performance  of  my 
daily  duty.  When  attacked  with  the  fudden 
gufts  of  temptation,  do  thou  pour  into  my 
breaft  fuch  a  blaze  of  conviction,  and  excite 
fuch  a  tremendous  apprehenfion  of  guilt, 
with  thofe  views  of  the  confequences  by 
thee  annexed  to  the  eternal  difference  of 
things,  as  may  balance  the  force  of  vicious 
impulfe,  fecure  my  innocence,  and  bear  away 

jny  attention  to  virtue. — *  Dired  me 

to  the  right  improvement  of  all  the  afliftances 
thou  haft  afforded  me  for  purifying  and 
perfecSting  my  nature.  Teach  me  to  under- 
ftand  clearly,  to  believe  firmly,  to  value 
juftly,  and  comply  fmcerely  with  that  lafl 
and  brightefl  revelation  thou  haft  given  me 

by  Jefus  Chrift.'* — -By  thy  Spirit,  Q 

God  !  continue  thine  illuminating  com- 
munion with  my  foul,  to  difpel  my  incredu- 
lity,  to  condu£l  my  enquiries  to  a  happy 

iffuc, 

*  This  fentence  from  Dr.  Leechman  on  Prayer. 


02  THE    LIFE    OF 

jiTue,   and  aflTift  me  to  jufl   and  realizing 
views  of  revelatio^. 

"  So  dependent  am  I  upon  thee,  O  Father 
of  lights  !  that  when  thou  hidefl  thy  counte- 
nance, my  foul  is  involved  ir^  darknefs  :  thy 
returning  radiance  enlivens,  brightens  the 
genius,  opens  deep  difcernment,  and  fatifi- 
fadory  views.  I  need  the  influences  of  thy 
guardian  Spirit  in  all  the  human  life  :  but 
my  prefent  moft  ardent  fupplication  is,  for 
a  juft  and  ftrong  difcernment  of  the  joyful 
difcoveries  I,  at  times,  feel,  and  faintly  per- 
ceive in  thy  w^ord.  O  my  foul  !  devolve 
thou  thyfelf  upon  God,  thy  parent  mind  •; 
expand  thyfelf  to  the  impreflions  of  the  di- 
vinity ;  that,  ahforbed  by  thofe  difplays  im- 
parted to  thee,  thou  mayft  hencefortji  be 
able  to  comprehend,  with  all  faints,  the 
height,  the  depth,  the  extent,  of  that  unpar* 
alleled  love  of  Jehovah,  which  indeed  excels 
all  prefent  knowledge." 

"  Thus  illuminated  froni  on  high,  may  I 
afcend  from  the  moral  contemplation  of 
Nature,  to  the  apprehenfion  of  infpired  Wif- 
dom  ;  till,  thereby  taught  fair  and  connective 
views  of  the  grand  moral  adminiftration  of 
the  univerfc,  with  tlie   genuine   warmth-  of 

devotion. 


PRESIDENT   STILlES;         63 
devotion,  my  voice  (hall  declare  :   Great 

AND     MARVELLOUS     ARE     THY     WORKS, 

LORD  GOD  ALMIGHTY  !    just  and 

true  are  thy  ways,  thcju  king  of 
Saints  1" 


THE  ordination  of  Mr.  Stiles  was  folem.-* 
hized  Od:ober  22,  1755  ;  on  which  occafion 
his  venerable  and  pious  father  preached  a 
bifcourfe,*  which  is  an  interefting  fpecimen 
of  his  minifterial  talents,  and  of  parental  af- 
fection. The  counfel,  addreffed  to  the  fon, 
was  received  with  filial  reverence  ;  and  it  had 
a  vifible  influence  on  his  paftoral  character. 
The  wifhes  of  an  affectionate  parent  were 
how  anfwered  beyond  expectation  ;  and  he 
could  depart  in  peace.  His  advice  may  be 
confidered  as  his  dying  charge  ;  for  he  com- 
plained, at  this  time,  of  bodily  infirmities, 
and  he  lived  but  a  few  years  after  this  inter- 
efting tranfaCtion. 

The  inftruCtions,  prayers  and  tears  of  this 
man  of  God  were  not  loft.  The  fon  prov- 
ed hinifelf  worthy  of  fuch  a  parent.     What 

he 

*  Text*  2  Tim.  ii.- 1.  Thou,  therefore,  viy  fofi,  bejlrong 
in  the  grace  'which  it  in  Chrift  Jefus.  This  Difcourfe  was 
printed- 


64 


THE     LIFE     OF 


he  eftiiriated  as  the  higheft  expreflion  of  filial 
piety,  appears  in  a  letter  to  the  Reverend  Mn 
Hopkins,  of  Hadley,  formerly  his  compan- 
ion in  the  tutorfhip,  who  had  recently  loft 
his  father  :  "  The  heft  tribute  that  can  be 
paid  to  the  memory  of  a  deceafed  parent,  is, 
the  perpetuation  of  his  virtues  and  excellen- 
cies, in  the  fhining  ufefulnefs  of  a  fon  :  thias 
the  father  furvives,  lives  in  poilerity."  This 
tribute  he  religioufly  paid  ;  and,  by  his  own 
virtues  and  ufefulnefs,  erected  a  durable 
monument  to  his  father's  memory. 

The  following  paragraph,  from  the  fame 
letter,  fhews  with  what  tremulous  fenfibility, 
and  diftruft  of  himfelf,  he  entered  on  the 
work  of  the  miniftry.  "  Laft  week  I  was 
ordained  an  inftru6tof  of  mankind  in  the 
Chriftian  religion.  But,  alas  !  who  knows 
whether  he  fhall  teach  men  right  or  wrong  ? 
Many  have  laboured  through  life  as  Chrif- 
tian minifters,  in  recommending  and  incul- 
cating errors.  And  how  know  I,  but  I,  alfo, 
fbnd  as  others  of  my  own  imaginations,  fool- 
iflily,  as  others,  apprehending  them  momen- 
tous principles,  may  fpend  alfo  my  life  to  lit- 
tle puipofe  ;  opcrofe  nihil  agendo,  [in  labori- 
ouily  doing  nothing.]     But  Heaven  knows 

I  mean 


I>RESIDENT   STILES,         6^ 

1  mean  right ;  I  would  gladly  be  informed 
of  the  genuine  intentions  of  the  great  Creator 
concerning  man.  Heaven  preferve  me  from 
miftakes,  and  lead  me  to  a  juft,  rational,  and 
thorough  underflanding  of  Chriftian  truth." 


J.D.     M,DCC,LVI  TO  M,DCC,LIX.— 
iExAT.  XXIX  TO  XXXII. 

THOUGH  now  difconneded  from  col- 
lege, he  gave  various  proofs  of  the  fmcerity 
and  ardour  of  his  collegiate  attachments,  and 
of  his  love  of  fcience^  In  February,  1756, 
he  addrefTed  a  letter  to  the  fenior  clafs,  at  Yale 
College,  formerly  under  his  tutorial  care,  iri 
•which,  together  with  a  grateful  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  generous  teilimonials  of  their 
friendihip,  and  ufeful  hints  with  regard  to 
their  various  fiudies,  he  invites  their  atten- 
tion to  his  favourite  fcience,  Aftronomy, 
Nor  does  he  forget  to  inculcate  on  them  the 
fuperior  importance  of  a  practical  regard  to 
the  duties  of  morality  and  religion.  "  You 
are  now  eritered  on  the  ftudy  of  Ethics. 
With  your  fpeculative  knowledge,  let  me 
recommend  it  to  you  to  join  devotion  and 
I  virtue. 


66  THE    LIFE    OF 

virtue.  If  valuable  fcience  has  not  a  propef 
influence  on  our  characters,  it  v^ill  but  in* 
volve  us  in  ignominy  and  contempt ;  while 
genuine  goodnefs,  and  well-formed  virtue, 
will  fecure  the  tranquillity  of  life,  and  prepare 
us  for  the  triumphs  of  intelledtual  merit, 
when  we  fhall  pafs  in  review  before  other 
parts  of  the  moral  world."* 

To  his  quondam  fellow-tutor,  Mr.  Hill- 
houfe,f  he  writes,  concerning  the  expected 

comet : 

*  He  uniformly  confidered  Virtue  as  the  ultimate  ob- 
jeft  of  fcience.  "  Praxis  philofophica  eft  finis  fcientiarum  : 
huic  omnes  difciplinae  Hberales  quodammodo  inferviant." 
Valedid.  Orat.  "  Praxis  philofophica,  probe  ut  vivemus, 
placide  moriamur,  inde  immortales  fieri  atque  beati,  eft 
omnis  Do(5h:ln2e  fumma  atque  finis."     Half-century  Orat. 

t  The  Hoflourable  James  Abi^am  Hillhoufe,  between 
•R-hom  and  Mr.  Stiles  a  very  intimate  friendfhip  fubfifted, 
died  in  1775,  -'^tat.  46.  He  was  educated  at  Yale  Col- 
lege,  where  he  graduated  in  1 749.  He  was  foon  after 
ehofen  to  the  office  of  a  tutor  in  that  feminary,  which  he 
executed,  with  unremitting  diligence,  for  fix  years,  with 
high  approbation  and  efteem.  He  next  appeared  at  the 
bar,  where  his  powers  of  reafoning  and  of  eloquence  ex- 
cited general  admiration.  In  1 772  he  was  eleded  a  mem- 
ber of  the  council  of  the  State  of  Connefticut ;  and,  in 
this  department,  was  eminent  for  his  abilities  and  integri- 
ty. Anxious  for  the  liberties  of  his  country,  he  firmly  op- 
pofed,  in  the  fpirit  of  true  patriotifm,  minifterial  tyranny 
on  the  one  hand,  and  lawlefs  anarchy  on  the  other.  His 
Chriftian  life  and  converfation  were  truly  exemplary,  and 
he  was  adorned  with  th«  graces  of  mecknefs>  charity,  and 
humility. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         67 

eomet :  ''  I  had  not  ventured  the  imputation 
of  aftronomical  enthufiafm — feeing  when 
nothing  is  to  be  feen — did  I  not  think  it  beft 
for  ail  to  be  eagle-eyed,  efpecially  when  oh- 
ferving  the  motion  of  thefe  rare  phenomena 
is  attended  wdth  peculiar  aftronomical  pleaf- 
iire.  The  comet,  in  1744,  was  feen  a,t 
Harlem  about  November  2p  ;  but  not  at 
Cambridge,  in  England,  till  December  23# 
One  had  better  be  fanciful,  and  feel  the  mor- 
tification of  finding  himfelf  miftaken  two  or 
three  times,  than  mifs  the  pleafure  of  feeing  a 
comet  a  month.  Comets,  when  they  firll  ap- 
pear, do  not  leave  us  room  not  to  doubt,  or 
fufped  we  may  miftake." 

The  Europeans,  it  feems,  expe£ted  the 
comet  this  year  ;  he  concludes,  it  was  on 
the  fuppofitipn  of  the  diminution  of  its  pe- 
riod. He  was  "  not  certain,  however,  but 
that  the  fame  caufe  which  contracTced  the  laft, 
might  be  fo  circumftanced  as  to  protra£l 
the  prefent  revolution  ;  if  the  variation  of 
its  periods  is  to  be  afcribed  to  the  attraction, 
or  difturbing  force,  of  diftant  celeftial  bodies 
•*— a  thing  which  Sir  Ifaac  Newton  fuppofes 
incident  to  comets  in  the  diftant  regions  of 
their  traje<$iories."  Profeflbr  Winthrop,  to 
whom  he  wrote,  about  the  fame  time,  on  the 

fubjed 


d'8  THE    LIFE    OF 

fubje£l  of  this  comet,  obferves,  in  his  an- 
fwer  :  "  Its  periods  have  been  unequal,  be- 
ing of  75  and  76  years  alternately.  You 
have  very  happily  conje<£lured,  at  what  will 
probably  turn  out  to  be  the  truth,  that  the 
fame  caufe  'which  €ontra5ted  the  lajl^  will  pro- 
'hng  the  prefent  period^  viz.  the  attraSfion  of 
'ether  celejiial  bodies^  This  comet  did  not 
appear  till  1759,  when  Mr.  Stiles  obferved 
Its  progrefs  with  accurate  attention,  and  pre- 
ferved  his  own  obfervations,  together  with 
-thofe  of  other  aftronomers,  which  came  to 
his  knowledge. 

In  this  -manner  did  he  continue,  in  con- 
junction with  his  theological  ftudies,  to  cher- 
afh  a  love  of  aftronomical  and  philofophlcal 
-fcience,  and,  indeed,  of  univerfal  literature, 
to  the  purfuit  of  which  he  v*ras  ardently 
devoted. 

The  Redwood  library,*  at  Newport,  con- 
fifting  of  about  1500  volumes,  at  th€  time 
of 'his  fettlement  there,  and  augmented  after- 
ward by  books  imported  from  Europe,  en- 

trufted 

*  About  the  ys-r  1748,  Abrahain  Redwood,  Efq.  of 
Newport,  gave  ;^3'oo  rterling,  with  which  the  principal 
puj-chafe_  for  this  library. . was  made.,  It  being  founded 
,  for  th?  ufg^  of  all  denominations,  indifcriminately,  the 
Legiilature  of  Rhode -Ifland  granted'  to  a  company  a 
clxartfr  of  incorporation. 


I 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  69 

trufted  to  his  ieledion,  was  liighiy  propitious 
to  his  wifhes,  and  to  his  literary  improve-. 
ment.  To  the  accomplifhment  of  an  end. 
Providence  always  furnilhes  adequate  means. 
This  library,  the  benefit  of  which  Mr.  Stiles 
enjoyed  above  tvvrenty  years,  and  to  which, 
being  librarian,  he  could  always  have  acceis, 
was  eminently  fubfervient  to  his  preparation 
for  the  prefidential  chair,  to  which  he  was, 
in  due  time,  to  be  called. 

On  the  loth  of  Febraar)%  1757,  he  was 
married  to  Elizabeth  Plubbard,  the  eldeft 
daughter  of  Colonel  John  Hubbard,  of  New- 
Haven  ;  a  woman  of  excellent  accomplifh- 
ments,  intellectual,  moral,  and  religious  ; 
and  who,  therefore,  defen^ediy  pofTeiTed  hi? 
tendereft  affecStion.  By  her  prudence,  and 
exclufive  care  of  every  thing  pertaining  to 
domeftic  economy,  fhe  left  him  in  poffeiTion 
of  his  v/hole  time  for  hterary  purfuits,  and 
pafloral  duties. 


A.  D.  M,DCC,LIX~iiTAT.  XXXIL 

AFTER  his  fettlement  in  the  miniflr)^  he 
improved,  every  favourable  oppoitunity  fcj 
opening  coiTcfp'ondencies  with  rnen  of  eml-= 

nence 


70  THE    LIFE    OF' 

nence  in  foreign  couutYies,  as  well  as  m  his 
own  ;  and  his  letters  will  greatly  contribute 
to  the  elucidation  of  his  charader  :  for,  it 
hath  been  juftly  obferved,  the  genuine  refem- 
blances  of  illuftrious  men  may  be  leen  in 
their  epiftles,  as  in  a  mirror.* 

From  early  life  he  cherifhed  the  focial  af* 
fedtions  ;  and  the  future  intercourfe  of  great 
and  virtuous  fouls,  was  always,  with  him,  a 
favourite  fentiment.  Even  at  the  age  of 
twenty-fix,  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Kalmar,  of 
London  :  "  I  am  defirous,  and  I  think  the 
ambition  not  illaudable,  of  cultivating  a  very 
free,  as  well  as  friendly,  correfpondence  with 
gentlemen  of  letters,  in  various  parts  of  the 
world,  to  whom  I  would  be  glad  of  the 
honour  of  being  introduced  ;  for,  with  Mr. 
Pope,  the  utmofl  point  of  my  defires,  in  my 
prefent  ftate,  terminates  in  the  fociety  and 
good  will  of  worthy  men  ;  which  I  look  up- 
on to  be  no  ill  earneft  of  the  fociety  and  al- 
liance of  happy  fouls  hereafter." 

In 

*  Amavi,  fatecr,  ab  Ineunte  fere  setate,  vironim  dodo. 
rum  epiftolas  :  cum  propter  multarum  rerum  non  facile 
alibi  occurrentium  notitiam,  turn   ob  genuinas  claro- 

EUM     VIRORUM    EFFIGIES,  QUAS    IN    EPISTOLIS,  TANQiJAM 

IN    spEcuLo,    CERNERE  t5T.-^— ColoiBefu  Prsefat.  ad 
Epiftolas  G.  J.  Voffu.  *^ 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         71 

In  a  letter  to  ProfefTor  Winthrop,  April  2, 
the  principal  objedls  of  which  are  aftronom- 
ical  enquiries  and  difcuffions,  having  noticed, 
with  fympathy,  the  ficknefs  of  the  Profeflbr's 
family,  and  its  confiftency  with  the  divine 
goodnefs,  he  adds  :  "  We  fhall  be  able  to 
form  a  more  juft  idea  of  the  ftate  of  man  a 
thoufand  years  hence,  when,  having  left  thefe 
regions  of  incarnate  fpirits,  and  entered  into 
the  intelled:ual  world,  or  abodes  of  unem- 
bodied  minds,  we  fhall  not  only  renew  our 
acquaintance  with  departed  friends,  but  per*/ 
fonally  converfe  with  Mofes,  Ifaiah,  Paul, 
Plato,  Cicero,  Newton,  Locke  ;  and  contract 
tiew  acquaintance  with  exalted  minds,  at» 
fembled  from  all  parts  of  the  dominions  of 
Jehovah." 

Soon  aftef,  he  wrote  a  learned  letter,  In 
Latin,  to  the  Principal  of  the  Jefuits*  College, 
in  Mexico.  This  letter  he  inclofed  in  another 
to  an  Englifh  merchant,  in  New-Spain,  in 
which  he  dates  the  reafons  of  his  communi- 
cation to  the  learned  Jefuit  :  "  I  have  a  cu- 
riofity  to  know  the  difcoveries  made  on  this 
American  continent  beyond  California.  The 
Jefuits  have,  beyond  any  order  of  men,  been 
the  moll  indefatigable,  for  above  a  century, 

in 


7^  THE    LIFE    OF 

ill  inveftigating  diilant  countries,  but  imper-i 
fe(£l:iy  known  to  the  Europeans.  I  find,  by 
thcii:  letters  about  50  years  ago,  (and  I  have 
feen  none  of  later  date)  that  they  had  entered 
on  the  fearch  of  California,  and  the  parts 
ddjafeent.  They  muil,  doubtlefs,  have  made 
very  confiderable  difcoveries,  and  tranfmitted 
them  to  Europe,  In  the  "  Travels  of  the 
Jefuits,"  publiflied  in  France  fome  years  ago, 
I  fee  the  intelligence  from  the  north-weft ern 
miffions,  pafTes  through  the  hands  of  the 
Superior  of  the  College  of  Jefuits,  at  Mexico, 
I  am  a  Proteftant,  and  defire  to  have  no  con- 
nexion with  the  Catholics,  in  point  of  re- 
ligion* Their  valuable  difcoveries,  however, 
both  in  natural  hiftoiy,  and  in  the  circum- 
ftances  of  countries  unexplored  by  others,  I 
would  willingly  partake  in  5  nor  do  I  regard 
through  what  hands  I  receive  ufeful  and  en- 
tertaining knowledge,  be  it  fo  that  I  receive 
it.  Befides,  difference  of  nations  and  re- 
ligions ought  by  no  means  to  obftrudt  phi- 
lofophical  enquiries." 

While  in   the  tutorfhip,  he  became  ac- 
quainted   with  the    Reverend    Dr.   AlifoHj 
Vice-Prefident  of  the  College,  and  Re6lor  of 
the  Academy,  at  Philadelphia,  who  was  in- 
troduced 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  73 

troduced  to  him,  by  a  letter  from  Dr.  Franks 
lin,  as  a  "  perfon  of  great  ingenuity  and 
learning,  a  catholic  divine,  and,  wliat  is 
more,"  added  the  Dodor,  *'•  an  honeft  man  ; 
for,  as  Pope  fays, 

An  honeft  man's  the  nohleji  work  of  God. 

By  entertaining,  then,  this  gentleman,  with 
your  accuftomed  hofpitality  and  benevo- 
lence, you  will  entertain  one  of  the  nobility  : 
I  mean,  one  of  GoD*s  nobility,  for  as  to  the 
kitig's^  there  are  many  of  them  not  worthy 
your  notice."  Mr.  Stiles  foon  after  com- 
menced a  correfpondence  with  this  learned 
and  worthy  man,  which  was  maintained  with 
a  pleafure  and  improvement,  apparently  mu- 
tual, for  many  years. 

In  a  letter  to  him,  July  ^,  the  following 
remarks  exprefs  his  fentiments  on  the  advan- 
tages of  an  extenfive  union  amorlg  the  re- 
formed churches. 

"  It  is  of  great  importance,  that  the  Pref- 
byterian  and  Congregational  interefts  be 
ftrongly  united.  Plans  of  union  and  har- 
mony are  greatly  to  be  defired,  and  promot- 
ed. In  this  view,  I  am  highly  pleafed  with 
the  union  of  your  fynods  of  Philadelphia 
and  New- York ;  and  I  wifh  fome  compre- 
K  bending 


74  THE    LIFE     OF 

hending  meafures  were  adopted,  which  migtt 
explicitly  join  to  that  umon  the  confederacy 
of  the  New-England  churches  ;  and  the 
whole  be  conne6ted  with  Scotland,  and  the' 
Congregational  DifTenters  in  England  and 
Ireland.  Such  a  jundion  of  lefs  and  greater' 
parts  would  give  the  whole  (perhaps  the 
greater  half  of  the  Britilh  empire),  a  much 
more  refpedable  figure,  than  either  holds, 
alone  and  disjointed.  It  muft  be  pleafing 
to  fee  our  own  caufe  profperous,  and  fortified 
by  thefe  alliances  ;  but,  what  is  more,  it 
vrould  greatly  fubferve  the  intereft  of  truth 
and  pure  Chriftianity.  As  we  are  the  moil 
reformed,  it  would  be  unhappy  if  we  fhould 
relapfe,  and  refume  the  ancient  corruptions. 
This  combination  would  bring  on  and  fup- 
port  thofe  enquiries  and  difquifitions,- which 

would  triumph  in  complete  reformation. 

Your  Synods  doubtlefs  have,  and  I  wifh  our 
AfTociations  alfo  had,,  an  annual  correfpond- 
cnce,  in  their  public  capacity,  with  the  Gen- 
eral AfTembly  of  Scotland  ;  and,  if  it  were 
peaceable,  the  publication  of  the  accounts 
among  the  people  might  animate  and  corrob- 
orate the  caufe.  And  if  fuch  an  intercourfe 
were  alfo  eftablifhed  with  the  churches  of 

Holland, 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         75 

Jlolland,  Geneva,  and  the  French  Proteft- 
ants,  it  would  circulate  much  ufeful  intelli- 
gence, that  might  ferve  to  keep  up  and  enli- 
ven \hQ  efpirit  du  corps ^  as  Voltaire  exprefles 


it." 


Among  numerous  proofs  of  the  extenfive- 
nefs  of  his  literary  enquiries,  at  this  early  pe- 
riod, and  of  the  unwearied  pains  which  he 
took  to  acquire  knowledge,  one  appears  in  a 
letter  to  Mr.  Grant  in  London,  dated  Septem- 
ber I  o,  in  which  he  writes  :  "  I  find  by  the 
Magazines  there  is  lately  publifhed  a  Hiftory 
of  California,  in  two  volumes.  I  want  much 
to  fee  how  far  the  Europeans  have  purfued 
their  travels  and  difcoveries  on  the  north- 
weft  part  of  this  continent.  I  find,  alfo,  that 
laft  year  was  publifhed  at  Peterfburg  a  map 
of  the  Ruffian  Empire  in  which  it  is  extend- 
<3d  beyond  Kamfchatka,  conne£ling  the  two 
continents  of  Afia  and  America.  If  you 
have  feen  them,  pray  give  me  in  your  next, 
a  brief  account  of  what  is  to  be  depended  on, 
efpecially  with  refped  to  the  junction  of  the 
two  continents.  If  it  jfhould  be  in  your  pow- 
er, and  you  fhould  be  fo  good  as  to  introduce 
me  to  a  correfpondence  with  fome  gentlemen 
pf  your  acquaintance  in  Peterfburg,  or  Co- 
penhagen, 


76  THE     LIFE     OF 

penhagen,  or  any  where  up  the  Baltic,  you 

would  greatly  increafe  my  obligations." 

To  the  Lift  article  of  thefe  enquiries  he,  at 
length,  found  a  fatisfadlor^  anfwer  ;  "  It  is 
now  known  that  Afia  is  feparated  from 
America  by  water,  as  certainly  appears  from 
the  Baron  Dulfeldt's  voyage  round  the  north 
of  Europe  into  the  Pacific  Ocean,  A.  D. 
1769."* 

A  uniform  zeal  for  equal  liberty  is  ftriking- 
iy  vifible  in  all  his  writings,  from  the  earlieft 
to  the  lateft  period  of  his  life.  In  a  letter  to 
the  Reverend  Dr.  Gumming,  of  Edinburgh, 
July  26,  he  v/rites  :  "  V/e  are  fettled,  not  in 
toleration,  but  equal,  Proteftant  liberty.  For 
us,  in  Nevv^-England,  to  be  harafTed  with  even 
the  moft  moderate  Epifcopacy,  at  leaft  to  have 
it  impofed  on  us,  whofe  fathers  fled  hither  for 
afylum,  is  perfedtly  cruel. Free  en- 
quiry has  made  fuch  progrefs  as  muft  inev- 
itably pull  down  all  ecclefiaftical  polities,  not 
founded  in  the  facred  Scriptures.  And  I  ap- 
prehend, the  defence  of  Epifcopacy  from  this 
quarter,  is  veiy  much  reiinquiihed  by  the 
fenfible  clergy,  fince  Bifhop  Hoadly  has  put 

the  matter  on  quite  a  different  footing, 

How 

^  Stiles'  Election  Sermon^ 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         77 

How  lamentable,  that  any  unnecefTary  em- 
barraffments  fhould  be  laid  on  men  of  public 
fpirit,  loyalty,  and  love  of  liberty,  whatever 
their  religious  fentiments  !  It  would  be  more 
agreeable  to  this  country,  if  Prelbyterians  and 
DifTenters  were  not  precluded  from  offices 
and  employments  in  the  gift  of  the  crown. 
All  the  provincial  governors,  cuflom-houfe 
ojfficers,  and,  in  general,  all  who  enjoy  lucra- 
tive offices,  not  in  the  bellowment  of  the 
Provincial  Aflemblies,  from  Nova-Scotia  to 
Georgia,  and  in  the  Weft-India  Iflands,  are 
appointed  from  among  one  fedt,  to  the  neg- 
Jed  of  all  others- — ^which  can  yet  furnifh  as 
fenfible  men,  compofe  a  far  more  numer- 
ous body  here,  and  are  as  loyal,  at  leaft,  and 
faithful  to  his  Majefty,  This,  indeed,  is 
agreeable  to  Levant  policy:  but,  I  judge, 
Egypt  would  be  more  eafily  governed  by 
Bafhaws,  appointed  from  among  its  inhab- 
itants, than  by  thofe  fent  from  Conftantino- 

pie." 

While  engaged  in  the  defence  of  rational 
liberty,  and  Chriftian  truth,  how  noble  and 
generous  are  his  fentiments  concerning  the 
proper  treatment  of  perfons  of  different  relig- 
ious denominations  j  and  yet  how  prudently 

guarded 


7l  THE    LIFE    OF 

guarded  againft  the  danger  of  a  tranfition 
from  cathoiicifm  to  indifference  about  relig^ 
ious  principles,  and  from  fuch  indifference  to 
apoflacy  !  "  As  we  hope  for  fettlers  from 
Scotland,  as  well  as  England  and  foreign 
Proteftant  States,  fo  I  fhould  be  glad  that  your 
miniflers  would  flrongly  inculcate  and  rec- 
ommend to  their  parifhioners  coming  to 
America,  a  fteady  adherence  to  the  prefbyteri- 
an  principles,  fmce  many  leave  them  behind, 
when  they  crofs  the  Atlantic.  Not  that  I 
would  have  them  made  bigots ;  for,  in  my 
opinion,  an  attachment  to  the  Prefbyterian 
and  Congregational  principles,  fo  far  as  it  im^ 
plies  an  oppofition  to  unfcriptural  prelacy,  is 
confjflent  with  the  greatefl  generofity  of 
foul,  with  Chriflian  charity  to  thofe  who 
differ  from  us.  It  is  one  glory  of  a  Prefby- 
terian to  be  catholic  and  benevolent ;  it  is 
another  glory  to  fland  fafl  in  the  faith.  Ma- 
ny do  not  flop  at  the  diftindtion  between  be- 
ing charitable  to  another  fe6b,  and  joining  it, 
I  may  have  charity  for,  and  a  good  opinion 
of,  a  Lutheran  ;  I  may  have  a  better  for  a  Cal- 
vin ifl,  and  yet  be,  ftridtly,  neither.  I  may 
have  a  good  opinion  of,  and  Chrifiian  affec- 
tion for,  all  Proteftant  churches ;  I  may  have 

a  very 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  79= 

k  very  good  opinion  of  thofe  of  Geneva  and 
Holland  ;  but,  perhaps,  beft  of  all  for  that  of 
Scotland,  or  for  thofe  of  New-England.'' 

A  gentleman  in  Newport  had,  through  his 
hands,  prefented  to  Yale  College  a  coUedion 
of  books,  (fome  of  which  were  deiftical)  "  on 
condition  of  their  being  depofited  in  the  pub- 
lic library  for  the  ufe  of  the  Undents."  It 
appears,  however,  that  the  books  were  not 
admitted  by  the  Prefident.  On  this  occafion, 
in  a  letter  to  the  Prefident,  he  refpedfuliy 
vindicates  that  free  enquiry,  "  for  which 
Proteftants  have  made  fo  noble  a  fland." 
"  It  is  true,"  faith  he,  "  with  this  liberty,  er- 
rors may  be  introduced  ;  but,  turn  the  ta- 
bles, the  propagation  of  truth  may  be  pre- 
vented. Deifm  has  gained  fuch  head,  in 
this  age  of  licentious  liberty,  that  it  would  be 
in  vain  to  try  to  fupprefs  it  by  hiding  the  de- 
iftical writings  :  the  only  way  is,  to  come 
forth  into  the  open  field,  and  difpute  the  mat- 
ter on  even  footing.  The  evidences  of  Rev- 
elation are,  in  my  opinion,  nearly  as  demons 
ftrative  as  Newton's  Principia,  and  thefe  are 

the  weapons  to  be  ufed. Truth,  and 

this  only,  being  in  fadt  our  aim  ;  open,  frank, 
and  generous,  we  fhall  avoid  the  very  appear- 
ance of  evil." 

About 


8o  THE    LIFE    OF 

About  this  time  he  received  a  prefent  of 
fome  books  from  Mr.  Bennett,  of  Edin- 
burgh. The  letter,  which  returned  his  ac- 
knowledgments, (September  14)  is  fraught 
with  fentiments  of  candour  charadteriftic  of 
the  writer.  "  This  friendly  notice,  and  on 
my  part  unfolicited,  from  a  gentleman  in  a 
diflant  country,  to  whom  I  am  unknown,  but 
by  the,  perhaps,  too  kind  mention  of  Mr. 
Heatly,  gives  me  a  very  fenfible  pleafure  ;  the 
more  fo,  as  the  books  you  fent  me,  particu- 
larly Lord  Kaimes'  Effays,  Mr.  Anderfon's 
Anfwer,  and  the  Reply,  are  curiofities  in  this 
country.  I  have  not  yet  had  time  to  finifh 
the  perufal  of  them ;  but,  from  the  little  I 
have  read,  I  think  candour,  and  a  good-na- 
tured benevolence,  might  admit  an  innocent 
conftrudtion  to  even  the  more  exceptionable 
pafTages  in  thefe  effays,  which  appear  to  be 
the  refult  of  thought,  ingenuity,  and  good 
fenfe.  I  fuppofe  his  lordlhip  does  not  pre- 
tend to  infalHbility  ;  and,  if  fome  exprefTions 
are  not  fo  well  guarded,  are  liable  to  excep- 
tionable confequences,  or  even  if  he  may  have 
fometimes  eiTed  ;  yet  the  intricacy  and  fub- 
limity  of  thofe  fubjed:s,  which  have  hitherto 
proved  too  great  for  human  comprehenfion, 

and 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         8i 

and  intelligible  difquifition,  entitle  fo  inge- 
nious a  performance,  and  its  author,  to  differ- 
ent treatment  from  what  Mr.  Anderfon  feems 
to  recommend.  Free  enquiry,  and  candid 
difquifition  of  moral  fubjeds,  have  obtained 
fuch  footing  in  the  Proteftant  world,  that 
they  cannot  be  extinguilheH,  but  muil  pre- 
vail. Some  have  abufed  this  liberty,  and 
filled  their  writings  with  impudence,  licen- 
tioufnefs,  and  blafphemy.  But  when  a  book 
is  written  with  modefty  and  good  fenfe,  even 
on  the  fide  of  error,  I  read  it  with  pleafure. 
Befides,  what  great  men  fometimes  call  fun- 
damental error  is  not  always  fuch.  Michael 
Servetus  was  condemned  by  the  great  men 
of  his  age,  and  burnt  for  herefy,  when  yet 
he  believed  not  only  in  the  being  of  a  God, 
but  in  his  Revelation  by  Jefus  Chrift.— — 
To  me  it  ap^pears,  that  all  the  danger  of  his 
lordfhip*s  notions  is  with  refpe61:  to  virtue. 
To  neceffitate  the  conduct  of  Intelligencies  to 
fuch  a  degree,  as  to  deftroy  their  accounta- 
blenefs,  is  to  place  them  in  the  clafs  of  brutes, 
and  overlook  the  diftinguifliing  principles 
of  their  nature.  I  do  not  know  what  is  his 
lordfliip's  opinion  of  Revelation ;  however, 
I  am  by  no  means  certain,  but  that  men  may 
L  entertain 


Bi  THE    LIFE    OF 

entertain  his  fpeculations  refpeding  liberty 
and  neceffity,  and  yet  be  firm  believers  of 
Revelation  j  I  think  I  may  add,  that  I  am 
acquainted  with  fuch." 

Another  w^riter,  then  of  recent  celebrity, 
and,  to  this  day,  confidered  as  the  champion 
of  infidelity,  was  not,  in  his  view,  entitled 
to  equal  indulgence.  "  The  Mr.  Hume, 
whom  Dr.  Leland  confutes,  diredtly  oppofes 
a  fupernatural  Revelation,  and  flrongly  de- 
nies the  poffibility  t)f  miracles,  or  of  their 
evidence.  I  think  he  treats  the  fubje^t,  and 
feveral  other  llibjeds  he  has  written  upon, 
with  caprice  and  infolence.  Self-confident, 
full  of  his  own  difcernment,  he  enjoys  the 
complacency  of  believing  himfelf  poflefled 
of  the  fecret,  imparted  only  to  the  happy 
few,  that  the  bafis,  or  one  main  foundation 
of  Chriftianity,  is  an  abfolute  impoffibility. 
And  truly  it  is  a  new  difcovery,  even  to 
imagine,  That  it  is  beyond  the  reach  of 
Omnipotence,  to  fufpend,  alter,  or  counter- 
aft,  the  general  laws,  which  itfelf  hath  eftab- 
iifhed  in  the  creation." 

Having  Ihewn  the  abfurdity  of  this  bold 
and  impious  hypothefis,  and  proved,  that 
miracles  are  capable  of  as  credible  an  attefta-« 

tion 


PRESIDENT   STILES.  83 

tion  as  any  other  fa6ts,  that,  when  credibly 
attefted,  they  prove  a  divine  miflion,  and  that 
the  refurred:ion  of  Jefus  is  lupported  by  fuch 
teftimony,  he  adds  :  *'  The  only  queftion  is, 
queJiofaBi^  [a  queftion  of  fa6t]  particularly 
the  re-appearance  of  Jefus,  after  he  was  un- 
doubtedly crucified,  and  dead.  This  faO:, 
once  admitted,  all  the  Scripture  miracles  are 
credible,  whether  extended  to  infpiration,  or 
confined  to  operations  on  the  material  world. 
Yet,  the  love  of  novelty  ;  the  habit  of  fcep- 
ticifm  ;  ambition  to  divulge  hypothefes  and 
new  fuppofed  difcoveries  ;  an  unbounded 
paflion  for  thinking  generoufly  and  freely ; 
deep  acquaintance  with  the  hiftory  of  fuper- 
ftitions,  judged  parallel  to  and  refembling 
the  Chriftian  inftitution  ;  the  oriental  pre- 
tended incarnation  in  the  perfon  of  Fo ; 
conviction  that  a  great  part  of  the  mythol- 
ogy which  biafles  nations,  the  learned  and 
unlearned,  is  without  foundation  j  a  deep 
fufpicion  that  all  the  moral  fyftems  in  the 
world,  and  among  the  reft  the  Chriftian,  as 
well  as  the  Mahometan,  have  origin  in  hu- 
man invention  and  policy  ;  and,  above  ail^ 
polluted  morals,  have  a  prodigious  influence 
in  ftupifying  the  moral  fenfe,  or  perceptivity 
of  evidence,  in  the  given  cafe  of  tlie  Chrir^ 

tiau 


84  THE    LIFE    OF 

tian  Revelation,  and  raife  fuch  a  mift  oi 
fcepticifm,  as  even  demonftration  cannot  dif^ 
pel.  So  that,  particularly  with  regard  to  the 
refurredtion  of  Jefus,  the  mind  is  callous,  and 
cannot  feel  the  weight,  or  even  the  poflibil- 
ity,  of  evidence.  So  the  Newtonian  phi- 
lofophy,  though  founded  on  demonftration, 
is  yet  difbelieved  in  fome  foreign  univerfi- 
ties.  Men  of  lefs  fpeculation,  of  lefs  fcience, 
and  lefs  prepoffeffion,  will  apprehend,  and 
rationally  believe,  what  fublimer  minds,  of 
great  learning,  in  vain  attempt  to  compre- 
hend. There  is  a  moral  jaundice,  brought 
on  by  fome  peculiar  refinements  in  fpecula- 
tion, which  tinges  all  objects  from  a  certain 
quarter.  The  removal  of  this  is  the  firft 
ftep  toward  difcerning  the  truth,  efpecially 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jefusr 

"  Lord  Bolingbroke  appears  to  be  better 
acquainted  with  political,  than  with  theologi-, 
cal,  learning.  He  that  perfeGily  underftands 
the  nature  and  connexions  of  the  feveral 
kingdoms  and  polities  in  Europe,  is  very  ig» 
norant  of  the  adminiftration  of  God,  and  of 
the  yroKiTttci  [the  government]  of  the  univerfe. 
It  was  as  much  out  of  charader  for  him  to 

turn  divine,  as  for  Chancellor  K to  turn 

civilian  j 


PRESIDENT   STILES.         Ss 

civilian  ;  and  he  has  iiicceeded  accordingly, 

Dr.  Leland  deferves  highly  of  the 

Chriftian  world.  Men  of  fenfe,  of  what-, 
ever  rehgion,  ought  to  be  treated,  as 
he  has  treated  them,  with  candour  and  po- 
litenefs.*' 

While  it  is  inflrudlive,  to  have  the  vari- 
ous fources  of  infidelity  thus  opened  to  our 
view,  and  to  be  prefented  with  the  reafonings 
of  one  who  had  '•'  gone  through  all  the  con- 
flid:s  that  it  is  poffible  for  the  human  mind 
to  be  perplexed  with,"*  it  is  plealing  to 
trace  his  progrefs  from  the  incertitude  of 
fcepticifm  to  the  {lability  of  the  Chriftian 
faith.  We  have  feen  him,  like  the  humble 
reed,  tremuloufly  bending  beneath  the  blaft  ; 
we  now  behold  him,  as  the  majeftic  oak, 
firmly  rooted  by  the  agitation  of  the  winds, 
and  able  to  refift  the  fury  of  the  fevereft 
temp  eft. 

By  a  learned  Jew,  from  Saphat,  in  Gali- 
lee, he  addrefled  a  letter,  in  Latin,  to  fome 
Greek  prieft,  or  bifhop,  living  in  the  Holy 
Land,  or  in  Syria.  Its  defign  was  to  obtain 
an  exa£t  defcription  of  the  Holy  Land,  and 
of  Syria  ;  a  map  of  the  lake  of  Galilee; 
of  the  lake  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  of 

the 

*  Manufcrlpt. 


86  THE    LIFE    OF 

the  rife  and  courfe  of  the  river  Jordan  ; 
information  concerning  the  inhabitants  of  the 
various  nations  on  that  territory  ;  the  num- 
ber of  Chriftian  priefts  in  each  epifcopate  ; 
and  efpecially  the  number  of  bifhops,  and 
their  clergy,  under  the  patriarchs  of  Antioch 
or  Damafcus,  and  of  Jerufalem,  as,  alfo,  of 
thofe  under  the  patriarch  of  Gonflantinople  ; 
an  account  of  the  religion  of  the  Gentiles 
beyond  the  Cafpian  Sea  j  and  whether  any 
nations  pracStife  circumcifion,  who  anciently 
obferv^ed  that  rite,  without  a  derivation  from 
Jews  or  Mahometans  ;*  a  geographical  de^ 
fcription  of  the  river  Oxus,  of  the  city  Sa- 
marcand,  and  of  the  neighbouring   regions, 

where 

*  Tlie  defign  of  this  enquiry  was,  to  difcover,  if  poffi- 
ble,  the  Ten  Tribes  of  Ifrael,  a  favourite  fubjeft  of  his 
refcarches  : — Quippe  inde,  forfan,  edifcerimus  quoddam 
de  Ifraelitis  Captivitatis  primae,  five  Aflyrianae.  Perfia  et 
India  jam  multis  facculis  tarn  adeo  perfufa  fuerit  turn 
Judaels  turn  Mahometanis,  quemadmodum  perdificile  fit 
circumcifiq^iem  ab  lis  perlatain  diflinguere  ah  ilia  anti- 
quiore  circumcifione  peradta  a  X  Trib.  et  eoruni 
pofteritate.  Arabes  Mahometani  Baflriam  et  regiones 
Bucharias  hodiemas  pervagarunt  circa  A.  D.  looo.  No- 
tum  fieri  cuplo  an  e  Scriptis  Arabicis,  vcl  aliis  circa  id 
feculum  editis,  pateat  quod  inter  gentes  Bucharias  vel 
diftantiores  ad  regioncm  Tibet,  circumcifio  inventa  fuitj 
uti  dim  Herodotus  obfervavit  ad  urbem  Colchis. 


PRESIDENT  STILtS.         87 

where  Ulugh  Beg  formerly  reigned  ;*  a  map 
of  the  courfe  of  the  river  Euphrates,  from  its 
fource  to  the  bay  of  Ormuz  ;  a  map,  alfo,  of 
Arabia,  that  is,  the  region  betv/een  the  Red 
Sea  and  Ormuz,  and  an  account  of  the  prin- 
cipal cities,  and  of  the  nations  which  inhabit 
that  region  ;  alfo,  a  map  of  the  eouritry  be- 
yond the  Cafpian  Sea,  (whence  the  Turks 
originated)  and  the   names  of  the   princes- 
who  reign  there  at  this  day*     Addrefled  to 
a  minifter  of  the  Greek  church,  the  letter 
farther  enquires.  What  are  the  peculiar  cer- 
emonies and  tenets  of  that  church  ?    It  alfo 
afks  an    account  of   the   Samaritans,  who 
inhabit  Mount   Gerizim,  at    Sichem  ;    the 
number  of  families,  of  priefts  ;  the  fize  of 
their  temple,  or  fan^luary ;    an  account   of 
their  religious  rites,  and  of  their  Pentateuch, 
whether  written  in  Samaritan  characters,  or 
in  Greek  ;  wherein  it  principally  differs  from 
the  Hebrew  Pentateuch,  efpecially  in  ancient 
chronology,  both  in  the  patriarchal  and  anti- 
deluvian   ages  ;  and  whether  they  received 
the  Pentateuch,  which  they  now  have,  in  the 

time 

*  This  he  fuppofes  may  be  procured  from  the  Armenian 
Chriftians  :  Forfan  Chriftiani  Armeuiani  ampliffime  fup- 
peditare  pofient. 


88  T  H  E    L  I  F  E    O  F 

time  of  Rehobbam,  or  not  till  after  the  I'e-* 
turn  of  Judah  from  the  Babylonian  captivity^ 
or  whether  in  the  times  of  Sanballat, 


A  D.   M,DCC,LX.— ^TAT.  XXXIIL 

ON  the  23d  of  April,  he  delivered,  before 
the  convention  of  the  Congregational  minify 
ters  of  Rhode-Ifland,  affembled  at  Brillol, 
*'A  Difcourfe  on  the  Chriftian  Union,"* 
which  was  printed.  In  this  Difcourfe  he  enu- 
tnerates  fome  of  thofe  fundamental  principles 
6f  Chriftianity,  and  ecclefiaftical  polity,  in 
which  our  churches  are  generally  agreed ; 
notices  fome  points  on  which  we  differ  in 
opinion,  or  are  fuppofed  to  differ ;  fhews 
that  this  difference  need  not  obftrudb  the  gen- 
eral harmony  and  union,  and  that  the  aliena- 
tions, occafioned  by  this  diverfity,  might  be 
greatly  lelTened  by  benevolent  and  honoura- 
ble conceiTions  ;  and  fubjoins  fome  reafons, 
taken  from  the  importance  of  the  common 
caufe,  and  the  prefent  (late  of  our  churches, 

to 

*  Text,  PhiHppians  iii.  16 — Neverthehfs,  'whereto  «iu<? 
have  already^  attained.^  let  us  rx<afk  by  the  fame  rukj  let  us 
viind  the  fame  thing. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         89 

to  fhew  the  wifdom  and  advantage  of  utiidn 
and  good  fellowfhip,  both  among  the  minif- 
ters  and  the  churches.  This  Difcourfe  fhewS 
to  what  great  extent  he  had,  at  this  early  pe- 
riod, puflied  his  enquiries  concerning  the  pad 
hiftory,  and  the  prefent  ftate,  of  the  reformed 
churches,  at  home  and  abroad.  No  manj 
perhaps,  was  better  quaUfied  than  he,  to  ef- 
timate  the  differences,  and  the  agreements, 
among  Chriflians,  efpecially  in  the  churches 
of  Nev7-England,  and  to  point  the  way  to 
Chriftian  fellowfliip  and  union.  A  practi- 
cal regard  to  his  counfels  would  eminently 
^*f  promote  the  caufe  of  religion,  and  reflect 
luftre  on  the  churches  of  Chrift.  The  felec« 
tion  of  a  few  paffages  from  this  Difcourfe, 
niay  furnifh  inftru(51:ion,  while  they  exhibit 
certain  traits  of  the  author. 

Having  afferted  the  agreement  of  the 
New-England  churches,  in  the  belief  of  the 
infpiration  of  the  Scriptures,  and  of  their 
being  a  fufficient  rule  of  faith  and  practice, 
he  obferves  :  "  There  ought  to  be  no  rellric- 
tions  on  the  confcience  of  an  honeft  and  fo- 
ber  believer  of  Revelation.  The  right  of 
confcience  and  private  judgment  is  unaliena- 
ble 5  and  it  is  truly  the  intercft  of  all  man- 
M  kind. 


90  THE    LIFE    OF 

kind,  to  unite  themfelves  into  one  body,  fof 
the  liberty,  free  exercife,  and  unmolefted  en- 
joyment, of  this  right,  efpecially  in  religion. 
Not  all  the  difference  of  fentiment,  not  all 
the  erroneous  opinions  that  have  yet  been 
ftarted,  afford  juft  umbrage  for  its  extindion, 
abridgment,  or  embarraffment."  Having 
mentioned  the  tenets  of  Calvinifm  and  Ar- 
minianifm,  and  the  variances  which  they 
generated  in  the  churches,  he  expreffes  his 
apprehenfion,  that  the  real  difference  of  fen- 
timent between  thofe  who  efpoufed  thefe  dif- 
ferent principles,  was  not  fo  great  as  it  ap- 
peared. *'  We  are  apt  to  attribute  to  one 
another,  eonfequences  of  our  peculiar  expla- 
nations, which  we  by  no  means  adopt. 
Some,  perhaps,  entertain  fentiments,  really 
different,  on  thefe  important  fubjed:s.  Their 
convitStion,  however,  is  not  to  be  laboured  by 
the  coercion  of  civil  or  ecclefiaflical  punifh- 
ment ;  but,  by  the  gentle  force  of  perfuafion 
and  truth  ;  not  by  appeals  to  the  tenets  of 
parties  and  great  men  ;  not  by  an  appeal  to 
the   pofitions  of  Arminius,  or  Calvin  ;  but, 

by  an  appeal  to  the  infpired  writings. 

The  only  way  is  to  examine  our  fentiments 
by  Scripture  ;    then  candidly  and  benevo- 
lently 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         91 

lently  enquire,  how  far  we  are  agreed  in  re- 
ality ;  to  walk  together,  by  the  fame  amiable 
rule,  fo  far  as  we  have  attained  to  think  alike  ; 
and  to  forbear  real  differences  in  love,  where 
there  appears  a  fmcere  love  of  truth,  candour, 
and  piety  :  remembering,  we  all  have  the 
unalienable  right  of  private  judgment  in  re- 
ligion ;  and  that  liberty  of  thinking,  and 
chufmg  our  religion,  liberty  of  confcience, 
was  the  great  errand  of  our  pious  forefathers 
into  America." 

The  liberty  of  the  churches  ought,  in  his 
judgment,  to  be  cailtioufly  guarded.  "  The 
exigencies  of  the  Chriftian  church  can  never 
be  fuch,  as  to  legitimate,  much  lefs  to  render 
it  wife  to  eredt,  any  body  of  men  into  a  {land- 
ing judicatory  over  the  churches. 

Let  our  churches  be  taught  to  ftand  faft  in 
the  liberty  wherewith  Chrift  has  made  them 
free.^' 

An  amiable,  catholic  fpirit  breathes  through 
the  following  paffage :  ''•  If  the  great  end  of 
making  men  virtuous  and  good  is  anfwered, 
let  us  rejoice,  though  the  means  are  diverfi- 
fied.  Particularly  let  us  of  the  Congrega- 
tional communion  in  New-England,  under 
the  different  forms  of  our  churches,  cultivate 

a  venerable 


gz  THE    LIFE    OF 

a  venerable  regard  for  one  another  ;  rejoice 
that  we  are  fo  well  agreed  in  purity  of  tioc- 
trine  and  worfhip  ;  and  walk  together  by 
the  fame  rule,  fo  far  as  we  are  agreed  ;  and> 
for  the  reft,  let  us  endeavour  to  hope,  and 
think,  and  fpeak,  the  beft  of  one  another,  in 
all  our  differences,  putting  on  forbearance, 
charity,  and  a  condefcending  benevolence.'* 

How  highly  does  he  eftimate,  and  with 
what  glowing  zeal  does  he  commend,  the  val- 
ue of  freedom  ! — "  PofTeffed  of  the  precious 
jewel  of  religious  liberty,  a  jewel  of  ineftim- 
able  wprth,  let  us  prize  it»highly,  and  efteem 
it  too  dear  to  be  parted  with  on  any  terms  j 
left  we  be  again  entangled  with  that  yoke  of 
bondage  *  which  our  forefathers  could  not, 
would  not,  and  God  grant  we  may  never, 
fubmit  to  bear.'* 

In  arguing  for  union  "  from  the  prefent 
Hate  of  our  churches,"  he  obferves  :  "  Thera 
is  no  body  of  Chriftians  on  earth  in  fuch  a 
rapid  increafe,  and  in  fo  flourlihing  a  ftate,  as 
the  Congregationalifts  of  New-England. 
The  prefent  ftate  of  our  denomination  as  to 
numbers,  for  the  year  1 760,  is  nearly  this  : 
In  Maffachufetts  are  above  300  Congrega- 
tional 

*  Star-Chamber  and  High  Commission-, 


PRESIDENT  STILES.  93 

tional  churches  ;  in  Connedicut  170  ;  in 
New-Hampfliire  43  ;  which,  with  thofe  in 
this  Colony,  form  a  body  of  about  53Q 
churches.  In  1650  there  were  about  36. 
churches  already  founded,  feveral  of  which 
were  fmall  beginnings,  requiring  many  years 
to  fill  up.  In  16.96  there  were  but  130. 
Congregational  churches  in  all  New-England. 
And  being,  A.  D.  1760,  increafed  to  530, 
the  proportion  of  doubling  is  once  in  30 
years.  A.  IX  1643  there  had  arrived  in  298 
tranfports,  about  4,200  planters  with  their 
families,  making  about  21,200  people  for  all 
New-England.  Since  that  time  more  have 
gone  from  us  to  Europe,  than  have  arrived 
from  thence  hither.  The  prefent  inhabit- 
ants, therefore,  of  New-England  are  juftly  to 
be  eftimated  a  natural  increafe  by  the  blef- 
fmg  of  Heaven  on  the  firft  21,000  that  ar- 
rived by  the  year  1643." 

How  engagingly  does  he  inculcate  the  ftudy 
of  union,  from  a  regard  to  its  aufpicious  in- 
fluence on  the  perfonal,  paftoral,  domeftic, 
and  Chriftian  characters  !  "  The  public  love 
and  harmony  will  enable  us,  with  ferenity 
and  more  facred  fatisfadion,  to  celebrate  the 
offices  of  piety  and  devotion.      Our  religious 

addreffes 


94  THE    LIFE     OF 

addrefles  and  joyful  homage,  undifturbed, 
unpolluted  with  difcordant  feelings,  fhall  af~ 
cend,  as  incenfe,  holy  and  acceptable,  to  the 
Moft  High.  And,  in  common  life,  inftead 
of  broken  friendfhips,  and  family  alienations, 
we  fhould  become  united  brethren  in  the 
Iiigheft  fenfe,  harmonioufly  travelling  along 
together,  and  fweetening  the  trials  of  life 
with  the  animating  complacency  of  focial 
virtue.  Religious  contefts  are  apt  to  £bur 
the  temper,  which  is  greatly  unhappy  in  a 
fiiate  preparatory  to  the  communion  of  an- 
gels and  glorious  beings  above."  Such  were 
the  benevolent  the  divine  principles,  which 
he  inculcated  on  others;  and  fuch  were  the 
principles,  on  which  he  uniformly  a^ted,  and 
which  at  once  procured  him  general  efteem, 
and  rendered  him  a  fignal  ornament  to 
Chriftianity. 

It  might  naturally  be  fuppofed,  that  the 
friends  of  liberty  and  peace  would  be  pleaf- 
cd  with  this  Difcourfe.  Teftimonials  of  the 
approbation  of  fuch  are  not  wanting  from 
very  refpedable  characters  in  America  and 
Europe.  "  I  am  exceedingly  pleafed,"  writes 
Doctor  Alifon,  "  with  your  ingenious  per- 
formance relating  to  theNew-Englifh  church- 
es. 


I^RESIDENT   STILES.         95 

cs.  It  fhews  great  induftry,  great  candour, 
and  good  judgment,  and  has  been  greatly 
admired  by  fome  of  the  beft  judges  of  fuch 
matters  in  this  place.  Two  copies  I  fent 
home  to  Ireland,  to  give  fome  importance  to 
my  own  correfpondence  by  furnifhing  my 
friends  with  what  I  know  they  will  greatly 
admire  ;  and  though  the  a<n;ion  be  felfifh, 
and  at  your  expenfe,  yet  you  will  have  the 
praife  in  fpite  of  me." — ProfelTor  Winthrop 
writes :  "  I  received  your  Sermon  on  the 
Chriftian  Union,  by  Judge  Danforth,  and 
perufed  it  with  great  fatisfadion.  So  much 
good  fenfe  and  learning,  fuch  an  impartial 
love  of  liberty,  and  fuch  an  extenfive  benev- 
olence to  all  parties,  it  is  rare  to  meet  with 
feparately  ;  much  more  rare  in  conjunction. 
I  hope  it  will  fully  anfwer  the  noble  pur- 
pofes,  you  had  in  view." 

The  fpirlt  of  this  Difcourfe  was  fo  con- 
genial to  that  of  the  celebrated  Female  Hif- 
torian,  and  to  that  of  an  illuftrious"  advocate 
for  Englifli  and  American  liberty,  that  both 
honoured  it  with  their  cordial  applaufe.  "  By 
the  favour  of  Mr.  Marchant,"  fays  Mrs. 
Macaulay,  "  I  am  acquainted  with  the  em- 
inent abilities  of  the  Author  of  the  Difcourfe 

on 


96  THE    LIFE    OF 

on  the  Chriftian  Union. — I  take  the  oppor- 
tunity of  Mr.  Marehant's  return  to  America 
to  lend  you,  Sir^  thanks  for  the  pleafure 
which  the  perufal  of  that  performance  gave 
me,  and  to  requefl  it  as  a  favour  that  you 
will  give  a  place  in  the  Redwood  Library 
to  my  publications,  as  a  fmall  teftimony  of 
my  regard  to  the  people  of  the  free  Colony 
of  Rhode-Ifland." — "  I  have  been  much  in- 
debted," fays  Do6tor  PricCj  "  to  the  infor- 
mation I  received  from  your  Sermon  on 
Chriftian  Union.  I  admire  the  fpirit  and 
temper  \yith  which  it  is  written.  How 
happy  would  the  Chriftian  church  have 
been,  had  all  Chriftians,  amidft  their  dif- 
ferent opinions,  been  a<fituated  by  this 
ipirit  !"-— 

An  ardent  love  of  liberty,  in  connexion 
with  peace,  appears  in  a  letter,  written  about 
the  fame  time,  in  which  he  preached  the 
Sermon  on  Chriftian  Union :  "  Some  are 
ready  to  infer  from  the  name  Dtjfenters^ 
and  a  miftaken  notion  of  toleration,  That 
the  main  body  of  Chriftians  in  America, 
are  fchifmatics,  and  under  religious  obliga- 
tions to  return  to  the  mother  church,  eftab- 
iiflied  in  England ;  not  becaufe  it  is  more 

agreeable 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         97 

agreeable  to  Scripture,  or  the  fenfe  of  the 
national  legiflature,  than  that  eftablifhed  in 
Holland,  or  among  foreign  Proteftants,  or 
even  in  other  parts  of  the  Britifh  empire,  but 
becaufe  it  is  eftablifhed  in  England.  A 
weighty  reafon  this,  with  men  of  fenfe  !  For 
thefe  and  other  reafons  I,  who  am  a  Proteft- 
ant  Chriftian,  refufe  to  be  called  a  DliTenter 
in  New-England,  though,  were  I  in  South 
Britain,  I  ihould  glory  in  the  name."  "  I 
honeftly  defire  unlverfal  Proteftant  liberty 
may  be  enjoyed  in  America,  the  afylum  of 
oppreffed  innocence  and  confcience.  But, 
when  our  fore-fathers  dared  to  oppofe  the 
corruptions  of  the  church,  and  retired  hither 
to  fpeak  their  fentiments  freely  ;  fhall  polite* 
nefs  feal  up  our  lips  in  the  caufe,  in  which 
they  fought  and  died  ?  Sober  reafon  and 
good  fenfe  ought  to  be  revered  by  all  man- 
kind ;  all  reftridtions  on  liberty  and  free 
enquiry  rejeded  ;  truth,  and  that  only, 
fhould  be  purfued  by  all. — — We  fhould  all 
join  in  making  a  party  for  harmony,  union, 
and  benevolence,  and  againil  all  attempts 
on  public  liberty."* 

While  thus  zealous  in  the  defence  of  the 
liberties  of  his  country,   he  afhduouily  col- 
N       '  kaed 

*  Letter  to  Dr.  Franklin, 


98  THE    LIFE    OF 

leded  from  every  fource,  whatever  might 
elucidate  this  favourite  fubjed,  and  give 
refpedlability  to  the  mifreprefented  charader 
of  the  principal  inhabitants  of  New-Eng- 
land. 

A  vigilant  attention  to  his  paftoral  charge, 
and  deep  refearches  into  political  and  theo- 
logical fubjedls,  did  not  abftradt  his  attention 
from   fcientific  enquiries.      In  reference  to 
thefe,  Dodor  Alifon  writes  to  him  :    "  I  am 
highly  pleafed  that  you  continue  fo  unweari- 
ed in  the  purfuit  of  knov»^ledge.      I  pray 
God  that  he  may  long  fpare  you  a  bleffing 
to  his  church,  and  a  ufeful  inftrument  to 
promote    knowledge    and   learning.'*     The 
Dodtor  proceeds  to  mention  his  own  unfuc- 
cef&ful  attempts  to  dlfcover  the  comet,  ex- 
pected at  this  time,  and  the  injury  which  he 
hence  derived  to  his  health,  "  which  brought 
him  to  a  refolution  that  efFe£lually  deftroyed 
his  ftar-gazing  ;"    and  adds  :    "  As  I  hope, 
with  more  certainty  and  lefs  trouble,  to  ac- 
quire this  kind  of  knowledge   in  the  next 
ftage  of  my  exiftence,  if  it  be  neceflary ;  I 
have  determined  to  give  myfelf  no  farther 
trouble,  till  I  be  allowed  to  converfe  with 
Newton,  Halley,  Whifton,  and  Flamftead, 

and 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         99 

and  fome  others  of  the  fame  complexion, 
if  thefe  names  be  allowed  to  fhine  in  one 
great  conftellation  in  heaven.  Yet  I  am 
far  from  blaming  you  for  your  careful  and 
accurate  refearches  :  they  may  make  you 
more  ufeful  here,  and  form  your  tafte  to 
examine  the  works  of  God  with  a  higher 
fatisfadion  in  the  coming  world,"*     . 

On  the  capture  of  Montreal, f  and  the  re- 
duction of  Canada,  a  public  Thankfgiving 
was  obferved  in  Rhode-Ifland,  by  order  of 
the  AfTembly  of  that  Colony.  In  a  dif- 
courfe,  delivered  on  this  occalion,  Novem- 
ber 20,  Mr.  Stiles  mentions  the  probability 
of  a  political  event,  little  contemplated,  at 
that  time,  by  the  moft  fanguine  advocates 

for 

*  The  Reverend  Dodor  Allfon,  with  whom  Mr.  Stiles 
had  a  long  and  intimate  acquaintance,  was  born  in  Ire- 
land, and  educated  in  the  Univerfity  of  Glafgow.  He 
came  to  America  in  1735  ;  and  was  minifter  of  a  church 
in  Delaware  county,  Pennfylvania,  till  about  1751,  when 
he  was  chofen  Reclor  of  the  Academy  at  Philadelphia. 
In  1TS5>  ^^  ^^^^  elecfled  Vice  Provoft  of  the  College  in 
that  city,  where  he  was  alfo  an  affiiliant  minifter  in  the 
firft  Prefbyterian  church-  He  was  an  excellent  claffical 
fcholar ;  and,  in  ethics,  hiftory,  and  general  reading,  a 
great  literary  character.     He  died  in  1779,  ^tat.  74. 

Lit.  Diary. 
t  September  8,  1760, 


joe*  THE    LIFE    OF 

for  liberty,  but  which  he  lived  to  fee  ful- 
filled. In  confidering  the  advantages  of 
America,  compared  with  Europe,  having 
obferved,  that  "  we  are  planting  an  empire 
of  better  laws  and  religion  ;"  he  adds  :  "  It 
is  probable,  that,  in  time,  there  will  be  form- 
ed a  Provincial  Confederacy,  and  a 
Common  Council,  Handing  on  free  provincial 
fuffrage :  And  this  may,  in  time,  terminate 
in  an  imperial  diet,*  when  the  imperial  do-» 
minion  will  fubfift,  as  it  ought ^  in  Elec-^ 
TION." 


A.  D,   M,DCC,LXI.-~^TAT.  XXXIV. 

ON  the  20th  of  Januaiy  he  preached  a 
Difcourfe,  on  the  occafion  of  the  death  of 
King  George  II,'|'  and  the  acccffion  of  George 
III.     After  giving  a  review  of  the  adminif- 

tration 

*  Alluding,  probably,  to  the  government  of  German}', 
compofed,  (though  7iot  by  election,)  of  the  heads  of  ihe 
fcveral  States  belonging  to  that  Empire,  and  forming  one 
great  confederacy.  Imperial  did  is  but  another  name  for 
Continental  Congress. 

f  Who  died  October  25,  1760.  George  Til.  was  pro- 
claimed at  Newport,  and  through  Rhodc-Ifland  Colony, 
January  19,  i-;6if 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        ici 

tratlon  of  the  late  king,  paying  the  refpect  of 
a  dutiful  fubjed  to  his  memory,  and  noticing 
the  aufpicious  circumftances  attending  the 
accelTion  of  his  fuccefTor,  he  adds  :  "  What 
remains,  but  that  we  rehgioufly  implore  the 
divine  fuperintendance  and  bleHing    on  his 

future  reign  ? Since  much  will  de-^ 

pend,  Hill,  on  xhQJiifl  exercife  of  the  prerog- 
ative, with  which,  by  the  Britifh  conftitution, 
and  univerfal  explicit  fuffrage  of  our  em- 
pire, he  is  now  veiled  ;  it  will  not  be  un-, 
grateful  to  him  to  know,  that  he  is,  every 
Lord's  day,  accompanied  to  the  throne  of 
grace,  with  *the  fervent  addreifes  of  half  a 
million  of  loyal  Chrillians,  in  Nevz-Eng- 
land,  for  that  fupernal  influence  on  his  royal 
mind  from  the  Supreme  King  of  the  uni-r 
verle,  by  whom  fubordinate  kings  reign, 
and  princes  decree  juftice.  This  will  be 
the  more  necefTary  for  us  to  continue,  on 
our  part,  not  only  from  the  efficacy  of  joint 
and  ardent  fupplication,  but  from  the  possi- 
ble EXIGENCIES  of  New-England,  WHICH 

MAY  FALL    WITHIN  THE   PERIOD  OF    HIS 

Majesty's  reign.  As  there  are  men,  who 
have  a  mighty  opinion  of  retrenching  the 
Ubeities  of  thefe  colonies,  cr  throwing  a  net 

of 


102  THE    LIFE    OF 

of  policy  over  them,  which  may  amount  to 
a  deprivation  :  fo,  if  thefe,  with  their  pro- 
jeiStions,  fhould  gain  accefs  to  his  Majefty'3 
ears,  mistaken  representations  may 
INDUCE   HIS  Majesty  to  accede  to 

MEASURES  OF  UNHAPPY  CONSEQUENCE 

TO  THE  Liberty  of  America." 

An  hiftorian  records  a  fimikr  inftance  of 
his  political  difcernment.* 

This  year  he  commenced  a  courfe  of 
chymical  experiments,  which  he  continued 
for  feveral  fucceeding  years.  He  alfo  began 
thofe  enquiries,  refpedting  the  number  of 
Indians  in  North-America,  their  national 
cuftoms,  and  religious  rites,  which  he  long 
profecuted  with  ardent  curiofity,  and  unwea* 
ried  diligence. 


A.  D.  M,DCC,LXIIL— iETAT.  XXXVL 

Dr.  FRANKLIN  having  lately  prefented 
him  with  Fahrenheit's  thermometer,  on  the 
firft  of  January  he  began  a  feries  of  ther- 
mometrical  and  meteorological  obfervations, 

which 

*  Gordon's  Hiftory  of  the  American  War,  vol.  I, 
A.  D.  1761. 


RESIDENT  STILES.        loj 

which  he  continued,  with  very  little  inter- 
ruption, with  his  own  hand,  till  within  two 
days  of  his  death.  Thefe  obfervations  were 
made  with  frequency  in  the  courfe  of  the 
day,  and  efpecially  when  there  was  any  re- 
markable variation  in  the  temperature  of 
heat  or  cold,  or  any  phenomenon  relating 
to  meteorology.  They  compofe  a  rich  treaf- 
ure  in  this  article  of  fcience  ;  and  are  con- 
tained in  fix  quaito  volumes. 

This  year  he  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Rev- 
erend Dr.  Lardner,  of  London,  and  folicited 
his  "  Credibility  of  the  Gofpel  Hiftory,"  for 
the  Redwood  library.  That  worthy  man, 
and  very  learned  author,  obligingly  complied 
with  his  requeft,  and  maintained  a  corres- 
pondence with  him  till  nearly  the  time  of 
his  death. 

He  now  commenced  experiments  for  the 
raifmg  of  filk  worms,  and  for  the  culture  of 
filk  ;  and  wrote  letters  abroad  to  obtain  in- 
formation on  the  fubjedt  from  the  filk  man- 
ufadories.  He  kept  a  journal,  in  which  he 
interfperfed  remarks  feledted  from  various 
authors  on  the  filk  culture,  particularly  after 
the  Italian  and  Chinefe  manner  ;  and  as  he 
continued  to  make  experiments,  and,  with 

great 


164  ^^E    LIFE    OF 

great  aflidulty,  to  invite  the  attention  of  the 
community  to  the  fubjecl:,  for  a  feries  of 
years,  his  journal,  colledtively,  conftitutes  a 
quarto  volume. 

The  ufe  of  the  Redwood  library,  being:, 
by  the  adt  of  incorporation,  confined  to 
Newport ;  for  the  benefit  of  the  minifters 
in  the  parts  adjacent,  Mr.  Stiles  propofed 
that  they  fhould  unite  in  making  a  collec- 
tion of  theological  writings,  and  particularly 
to  purchafe  the  Fathers,  and  eeclefiaftical 
hiftories.  In  conjunction  with  his  learned 
friend,  the  Reverend  Dr.  Weft,  of  Dart- 
mouth, he  this  year  began  this  collection  by 
the  name  of  an  "  Eeclefiaftical  Library  ;" 
they  unitedly  contributing,  for  its  founda- 
tion, Juftin  Martyr,  Origen,  Eufebius,  and 
other  authors* 

It  was  his  opinion,  that  the  early  Chriftian 
writers  were  too  much  neglected  by  divines 
at  the  prefent  day.  The  moft  valuable  of 
them,  he  obferved,  might  be  read  with  a  fmall 
expence  of  time,  and  with  great  profit. 
Without  a  formal  defence,  may  I  not  alk, 
Whether  the  modern  charge  of  credulity  is 
not  too  vague  for  their  entire  condemnation  ? 
And  if  fome  of  them  argued  inconclufively, 

or 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        105 

t)r  gave  forced  conllrudlons  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, were  they  not  competent  witnefles  of 
hiftorical  fa<Sls  ?  and,  as  hillorians  of  the  doc- 
trines and  ftate  of  the  church,  in  their  owa 
day,  have  they  no  claim  to  our  attention  ? 
Nor  is  this  their  fole  merit.  Who  can  read 
the  Apologies  of  Juftin  Martyr,  addreffed  to 
the  Emperor  and  Senate  of  Rome,  and  not 
admire  the  learning  and  noble  fpirit  of  that 
able  defender  of  the  Chriftian  faith  ?  Who 
can  read  the  Epiftles  of  Ignatius,  and  not 
be  deeply  impreffed  with  the  unconquerable 
intrepidity  of  that  voluntary  and  triumphant 

martyr  ? Befide  the  peculiar  merits    of 

the  fathers,  as  hiftorians,  and  as  martyrs,  a 
high  rank  is  afTigned  them,  even  as  clajficat 
writers.  "  Neither  the  graces  of  fimplicity, 
nor  the  fplendour  of  ornament,  were  con- 
fined to  Xenophon  and  Plato,  nor  to  Livy 
and  Cicero  ;  for  every  impartial  critic  vn^IU 
commend  the  pure  ftyle  of  Ladtantius  ;  the 
rich  imagery,  and  appofite  illuftrations  of 
Theodoret ;  the  ciaffical  fluency  of  JMinucius 
Felix  ;  the  uniform  perfpicuity  of  Bafil ;  the 
glowing  efFufions  of  Gregory  of  Nazianzum  ; 
and  the  exuberant  and  attracting  eloquence 
of  Chryfoftom,  and  C}'prian."* 

O  A.J), 

*  Kelt's  Sermons,  at  BainptGa  Ledure,  1 753- 


i<^         THE    LIFE    OF 

J.  D,  M,DCC,LXIV.~^TAT.  XXXVIL 

IN  a  letter  to  Dr.  Lardner,  June  20,  he 
folicits  contributions  to  the  Library  of  Har- 
vard College,  which  had  recently  been  con- 
fumed  by  fire.  "  One  of  the  four  college 
edifices  of  Harvard  was,  laft  winter,  unhap- 
pily burnt  down ;  and  in  it  the  whole  Col-» 
lege  Library,  confifting,  I  think,  of  about 
5000  volumes,  was  confumed,  excepting  the 
books  abroad.  Our  brethren  in  Europe 
would  do  a  moft  acceptable  kindnefs  to  our 
churches,  in  affifling,  by  fmall  contributions 
from  their  private  libraries,  or  otherwife,  in 
the  reparation  of  the  public  library  of  Har- 
vard College,  and  its  philofophical  apparatus. 
I  am  afhamed  to  addrefs  your  generofity 
again,  though  I  know  yen  delight  in  doing 
good  :  but  I  could  wifh  the  liberality  of  your 
friends  would  honour  Harvard  Library  with 
your  works,  at  leaft  with  the  Supplement." 

With  fuch  a  catholic  fpirit,  did  he  intereft 
himfelf  for  the  advancement  of  literature,  in 
feminaries  of  learning,  with  which  he  had 
no  immediate  connexion.  Viewing  all  infti- 
tutions  for  the  promotion  of  knowledge,  a& 
eonflituting  one  grand  republic  of  letters,  he 

conduced 


PRESIDENT   STILES.        107 

condufted  as  a  citizen  of  this  extenfive  com- 
munity ;  and  his  fuperiority  to  local  and 
vulgar  prejudices,  evinces  the  real  greatnefs 
of  his  foul.  In  this  trait  of  his  character  he 
refembled  that  truly  noble  emperor,  who 
faid  :  "  As  I  am  Antoninus,  Rome  is  my  city, 
and  my  country  ;  but,  as  I  am  a  MAN,  the 

WORLD." 

To  every  friend  of  truth  and  fcience  it 
muft  be  pleafmg  to  remark  the  growing 
prevalence  of  Literary  Cathoiicifm  in  the  ci- 
vilized world.  Although  fome  American 
publications  have  been  reviewed  in  Europe 
with  a  bigotry  unworthy  of  the  eighteenth 
century  ;  it  gives  me  pleafure  to  record  an 
example  of  liberality,  which  perfectly  ac- 
cords with  my  fubjed:,  and  which  deferves 
the  higheft  commendation.  It  clofes  an  En- 
glifh  review  of  the  firft  volume  of  "  Me- 
moirs of  the  American  Academy  of  Arts 
and  Sciences."  "  This  volume,"  fays  the 
Reviewer,  "  may  be  confidered  as  a  proof, 
that  philofophical  purfuits  are  carried  on 
with  vigour  in  the  American  States  ;  and 
every  zealous  cultivator  of  the  arts  will  be- 
hold with  fatisfaiflion  the  fuccefsful  progrefs 
of    Literary  and  Learned   Inftitutions,    in 

whatever 


»o8  THE    LIFE    OF 

whatever  part  of  the  globe,  For  Truth 
and  philofophic  Learning  are  fuperior  to 
all  party,  and  even  national,  diftindions. 
Their  views  will  ever  extend  beyond  the 
narrow  boundaries  of  local  and  feparate  in- 
terefts,  which  divide  fociety  from  fociety, 
and  one  body  of  men  from  another.  To 
promote  the  common  good  of  mankind, 
and  to  increafe  the  general  ftock  of  human 
happinefs,  by  the  diffufion  of  ufeful  knowl- 
edge, benevolence,  and  wifdom,  is  their 
great  object,  and  leading  principle  > — Prof- 
perity  attend  them  !"* 


A.  D.  M,DCC,LXV.— ^TAT.  XXXVIIT. 

LEARNING  by  the  foreign  gazettes,  that 
certain  perfons,  who  had  been  fent  to  Egypt 
and  Arabia  by  the  Danifh  King,  had  lately 
brought  500  very  ancient  Hebrew  and  Ara- 
bic manufcripts  from  the  Eaft,  and  depofited 
them  in  the  univerfity  at  Copenhagen  ;  he 
addreffed  a  letter,  in  Latin,  to  the  Prefed:  of 
this  Univerfity,  to  enquire  the  degree  of 
their   antiquity,  and   the  fubjeds  on  which 

they 

*  Monthly  Revie-w  for  17P8. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        109 

they  treated.  He  prefumed  that  the  Vedas; 
were  among  thofe  manufcripts,  and  expreff- 
ed  a  wifh  to  know  the  age  of  the    world, 

according  to  thefe  writings.— The  Vedasy 

written  in  Sanfcrit,  are  the  ancient  and  facred 
books  of  the  Hindus,  in  four  volumes,  three 
of  which  Sir  William  Jones  firmly  believed, 
from  internal  and  external  evidence,  to  be 
more  than  three  thoitfand  years  old. 

On  the  2  8th  of  March,  the  Univerfity  of 
Edinburgh  conferred  on  him  the  degree  of 
Dodlor  in  Divinity.  It  was  through  the  in- 
fluence of  Dr.  Franklin,  who,  in  a  letter  to 
Dr.  Robertfon,  the  celebrated  hiftorian,  then 
Principal  of  that  Univerfity,  recommended 
his  friend  as  fuftaining  "  an  excellent  charac- 
ter," and  as  "  greatly  efteemed  by  his  breth- 
ren the  clergy,  even  of  other  denominations, 
for  his  extenfive  iea];"ning,  and  the  ca- 
tholicifm  of  his  temper  ;*'  and  fplicited  for 
him  this  honour.  Mr.  Stiles  received  the 
diploma  in  November.  *'  To  be  enrolled 
hi  the  higheft  order  of  literature"— he  writes, 
on  this  occafion,  to  Dr.  Franklin—"  and  in 
that  clafs  in  this  order,  which  implies  Piety 
as  well  as  Erudition,  would  have  been,  could 
I  have  merited  it,  the  fummit  of  my  ambi- 
tion.^ ^ 


no         THE    LIFE    OF 

tlon.  I  am  not  conlcious  of  a  merit  equal  to 
fuch  an  honour  :  yet  am  happy  in  receiv- 
ing it  from  an  Univerfity  of  the  firft  emi^. 
nence  for  Religion  and  Literature  ;  and  in 
having  been  introduced  to  it  by  a  gentleman 
y?hofe  recommendation  carries  weight  with 
it  throughout  the  Republic  of  letters.  It 
would  give  me  the  higheft  fatisfadion,  could 
my  character  do  the  leaft  honour  to  you. 
Sir,  and  to  that  illuftrious  Seat  of  learning." 
—In  grateful  acknowledgment  of  the  honour 
thus  unexpectedly  fhewn  him,  he  addrefled 
a  letter,  in  Latin,  to  Dr.  Robertfon,  and  to 
the  Senatus  Academicus,  in  that  claflicaL 
ftyle,  and  courtly  manner,    for  which  his 

writings  are  diftinguifhed. "  It  is  fome- 

thing,"  obferved  one  of  his  friends,  "  to  ob- 
tain fuch  an  honour  ;  but  it  is  more  to  de- 
ferve  it.  I  truft  you  will  wear  the  laurel 
not  only  unenvied,  but  with  the  approbation 
of  the  beft  judges." 

How  little  he  eftimated  diplomatic  hon^ 
ours,  in  comparifon  with  the  divine  appro- 
bation, and  celeftial  glories,  appears  by  a 
letter  written  to  his  friend  the  Reverend  Dr. 
Dana  :-— "  I  beg  leave  to  congratulate  you 
on  the  honpur  lately  done  you  by  the  Uni- 
verfity 


PRESIDENT   STILES.       iii 

verfity  of  Edinburgh,  in  conferring  on  you 

the   Dodtorate    in    Divinity. It   is  a 

pleafure,  whenever  the  literaiy  titles  defcend 
and  reft  on  genius,  erudition,  and  real  merit. 
But,  dear  Sir,  what  is  this  elevation,  what 
the  higheft  academical  honour,  compared  to 
that  of  a  humble  difciple,  a  faithful  minifter, 
of  the  blefled  Jefus  ?  What  the  honour  of 
being  enrolled  in  the  fupreme  order  of  lite- 
rary merit,  and  regiftered  in  the  archives  of 
Edinburgh  and  Cambridge,  to  that  of  having 
our  names  written  i?i  the  LaniFs  book  of  life? 
May  we  feel  the  incentives  of  the  celeftial 
retributions,  and  fo  a£t  our  parts  here,  hrf 
turning  many  to  righteoufnefs^  as  hereafter,  to 
Jhine  as  the  hrightnefs  of  the  frmament,  ana 
as  thtfiars  forever  and  ever." 

An  adherence  to  the  caufe  of  truth,  a:nd[ 
to  the  practice  of  piety,  is  thus  recom- 
mended, in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Jennings,  of 
London,  November  29  :  **  The  Diflenting 
intereft,  through  the  Britiih  empire,  I  have 
much  at  heart,  I  wifh  the  ftability  and 
perfevering  firmnefs  of  our  brethren  in  that 
glorious  caufe  of  apoftolic  truth,  which  muft 
finally  prevail  on  earth.  May  we  all  be 
animated  in  the  Chriftian  life  and  profefTien 

by 


M 


ni  THE    LIFE    OF 

by  the  higher  glories  of  immortality.  Let 
us  of  the  rifmg  generation  liv.e  the  purity 
of  religion,  and  walk  in  the  fteps  of  our 
pious  anceftors." 


J,  D.  M,DCC,LXVL— JilTAT.  XXXlX. 

TO  J.  Z;  Holwell,  Efquircj  author  of 
"  Hiftorical  events  relative  to  the  Empire 
of  Hinduflan" — who  had  refided  thirty 
years  in  Bengal— he  wrote  a  letter,  Feb. 
27,  to  acquire  information  in  oriental  hil^ 
toty  ;  and  particularly  to  afcertain,  whether 
the  Jews,  at  Cochin  and  at  Patna,  were  in 
J)ojfreffion  of  a  Hebrew  Pentateuch  :  an  en* 
quiry,  v/hich  continued  to  intereft  his  cu- 
riofity  till  he  found  his  congenial  mind  in 
the  late  Sir  William  Jones,  to  whom  he 
addrefled  himfelf  on  this  fubjedl,  and  on 
fome  others,  which  {hall  be  noticed  in  the 
fequel. 

In  this  letter,  he  aiks  to  what  antiquity 
the  Shaftah*  extends  its  chronology  ;  at 
what  period  it  was  written  ;  whether  it  was 
compofed  by  one  author,  or  by  a  number, 

in 

*  Sacred  books  of  the  Centoos, 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        113 

In  a  iticceflion  of  years  ;  whether  it  contains 
any  thing  analogous  to  the  cofmogony  of 
Mofes  ;  whether  it  has  any  allufions  to 
events  in  the  Affyrian  empire,  and  fynchro- 
nizes  with  any  of  the  princes  from  Ninus 
to  Sardanapalus  ;  whether  it  mentions  the 
princes  or  governors  of  Perfia,  Media,  and 
Baftria,  during  their  infancy,  and  while 
members  of  the  Affyrian  empire,  and  before 
Zoroafter  ;  or  alludes  to  the  Lama  fyftem 
at  Potola,  or  to  the  hillory  of  China  ;  what 
are  its  religious  dodrines  ;  what  the  num- 
ber of  people  from  Indus  to  the  Ganges  ; 
whether  the  Shaftah  is  received  in  Siam, 
and  in  other  kins;doms  eaft  of  Benoral  ; 
whether  the  Brahmans  are  generally  learned 
and  virtuous,  and  have  feminaries  of  liter- 
ature ;  whether  the  difciples  of  Fo,  or  the 
de  la  Lama,  at  Potola,  have  any  fyftem,  or 
collection,  of  capital  writings  diftinguifhed 
by  a  like  univerfal  reverence  as  the  Shaftah 
of  Hindoftan,  and  what  their  antiquity  ;  in 
what  part  of  India  was  the  feat  of  empire, 
at  the  time  of  waiting  the  Shaftah  ;  what 
the  remoteft  notices,  in  the  Indian  hiftories, 
of  any  public  tranfadtions,  or  political  com- 
munications  between  the  ancient  empire  of 
P  India, 


114  THE    LIFE    OF 

India,  and  that  of  China  ;  whether  there  ar^ 
any  traces  of  an  ancient  colonization  from 
India  into  the  north-eaft  region,  where,  it 
is  faid,  there  has  been,  for  ages,  a  large 
body  of  people  under  the  Lama  of  Potola  5 
at  what  time  was  fuch  emigration  from  the 
parent  ftate  ?  It  is  faid,  (he  remarks)  that 
not  only  on  the  Malabar  coaft,  at  Cochin, 
but  at  Patna  up  the  Ganges,  there  are  large 
bodies  of  Jews,  (or  Hebrews  ;)  and  the  lat- 
ter are  faid  to  account  themfelves  of  the 
half-tribe  of  Manafleh.  Do  all  the  Jews  of 
the  eaft  appear  to  be  of  the  laft  difperfion  ? 
or,  do  thofe  of  Patna,  in  particular,  difcover 
any  evidence  of  their  having  defcended  from 
the  Ten  Tribes  ?  If  fo,  have  they  the  Pen- 
tateuch, or  any  other  Hebrew  writings  be- 
yond the  age  of  Salmanefer  ?  In  the  regions 
north  of  the  Mogul  empire,  are  there  found 
any  clufters  of  people  that  circumcife,  and 
retain  traditions  of  a  derivation  from  the 
Ten  Tribes  ? 

Prefident  Clap  purpofmg  to  refign  his 
prefidency  at  Yale  College,  the  attention  of 
the  Corporation  appears  to  have  been  im- 
mediately dircdled  to  Dr.  Stiles.  In  July 
he  received  from  a  confidential  friend,  a  let- 
ter, 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        115 

ter,  which  exprefles  the  defire  of  one  of  the 
Corporation,  that  he  fhould  enquire  at  the 
Doctor's  own  mouth,  whether  he  would 
accept  a  prefidency  at  Yale  College,  if  it 
{hould  be  offered  to  him,  **  You  afk,"  he 
replies,  "  a  delicate  queftion.  I  well  know 
the  difficulties  of  that  important  office,  and 
my  inability  to  difcharge  it  with  advantage 
and  honour.  The  title  of  a  Prefident,  though 
eminent  and  honourable,  is  a  laurel  inter^ 
woven  with  thorns.  If  there  are  many  flat' 
tering  and  agreeable  things  in  fuch  an  em- 
ployment, they  are  more  than  balanced  by 
the  difficulties  attending  it,  as,  indeed,  is  the 
cafe  of  all  public  offices  whatever,  of  any 
confiderahle  eminence.— I  am  not  calculated 
for  great  i^fefulnefs  ;  there  are  principles  in 
my  nature,  chiefly  my  paffions,  which  would 
defeat  fuch  an  aim.  To  become  a  little 
ufeful,  to  be  difciplined  into  a  feraphic  pu- 
rity of  foul,  and  to  become  fmcerely  pious., 
is  all  the  glory  of  my  life :  but  my  choice 
is  a  retirement  and  obfcurity,  even  beyond 
what  I  have  hitherto  been  able  to  attain  ;  in 
which,  however,  I  purpofe,  by  the  leave  of 
Providence,  to  be  more  and  more  inveL 
oped  :  efpecially  as  I  judge  the  lefs  we  have 

to 


Ii6  THE    LIFE    OF 

to  do  with  the  world,  and  public  life,  the 
more  we  may  perfe(St  ourfeives  in  the  divine 
life,  the  life  hid  with  Chriji  in  God^  which 
I  have  long  determined  Ihall  be   my  chief 

aim. 1  conceive  it  infinitely  difficult  for 

the  governor  of  a  province,  or  the  prefix 
dent  of  a  college,  to  be  converfant  with,  and 
prudently  to  adjuft  himfelf  to,  a  great  variety 
of  contrary  views,  difpofitions,  tempers,  pur* 
fuits,  and  chara6:ers,  many  of  them  very  im- 
portant, and  not  endanger  the  firmnefs  of  the 

moral  principle. 1  know  fo  little  of  my- 

felf,  indeed,  that  I  may,  perhaps,  be  unable 
previoufly  to  pronounce  the  part  I  might 
take,  on  a  contingency  which,  in  my  ap- 
prehenfion,  is  im.poffible  ;  though  I  am  at 
no  lofs  what  would  be  a  wife  condudt." 

So  reluctant  was  he  to  be  called  forth  to  a 
fcene  of  more  public  fervice,  than  that  of  the 
miniftry,  to  which  he  was  now  devoted  ; 
fo  jealous  was  he  of  the  temptations,  to 
which  his  virtue  might  be  expofed  ;  fo  little 
influence  had  the  allurements  of  literary 
fame,  in  comparifon  with  the  attractions  of 
retirement,  and  of  an  occupation  favourable 
to  improvement  in  piety  !  If,  when  put  to 
the  teft  at  a  fubfequent  period,  he  may  be 

fuppofed 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         117 

fuppofed  to  vary  his  judgment,  on  this  fucn 
ject,  to  abandon  his  prefent  refolutions,  and 
to  enter  with  pleafure  into  the  lifts  of  fame  3 
evidence  will  not  be  wanted  to  prove,  that 
his  fentiments  and  inclinations  remained  un- 
altered, and  that  he  rather  fubmitted  to  the 
tafk,  than  afpired  to  the  honour,  of  the  pref- 
idency. 

Having  previoully  been  nominated  to  the 
office  of  a  Fellow  of  Rhode-Illand  College, 
which  office  he  had  declined,  and  being  now 
adually  elected  into  that  office,  and  folicited 
by  repeated  deputations  from  the  Corpora* 
tion  to  accept  it ;  he  writes  to  the  Chancel* 
lor  and  Truftees  :  "  I  was  too  fmcere  a 
friend  to  literature,  not  to  have  taken  part  in 
the  inftitution  at  firft,  upon  my  nomination 
in  the  Charter,  had  I  not  been  prevented  by 
reafons,  wliich  a  fubfequent  immediate  elec- 
tion could  not  remove."  Whatever  the 
reafons  were,  they  ftill  influenced  him  to 
decline  the  office  to  which  he  was  invited, 
with  fuitable  acknowledgments,  of  the  po- 
lite nefs  and  refpe£l,  with  which  he  was  treat- 
ed, on  this  occafion  ;  concluding  his  letter 
with  the  catholic  and  pious  wifh,  that  "  the 
Father  of  Lights,  from  whom  comes  down 

every 


iiS  THE    LIFE    OF 

every  good  and  perfect  gift,  may  excite  the 
public  munilicence,  and  raife  up  benefa(Slors, 
tlirough  whofe  liberalities  this  Inftitution  fhali 
be  completed  with  an  ample  endowment." 

In  a  letter  to  the  Reverend  Dr.  Welles,  he 
writes  :  "  I  am  ftationed  in  a  very  difficult 
part  of  the  Lord's  vineyard,  though,  I  thank 
God,  with  great  tranquillity  and  happinefs 
in  my  flock.  A  prince  has  not  any  thing  to 
beftow,  which  I  fhould  efteem  of  equal  val- 
ue with  the  prayers  of  my  brethren  ;  with 
your  prayers,  that  I  may  be  enabled  to  ful- 
fil the  minillry  I  have  received,  to  the  ac- 
ceptance of  Him,  whom  I  efteem  it  my  fu-* 
preme  glory  to  ferve.'* 

A  letter,  December  8,  to  the  aged  and  ven-* 
erable  Dr.  Lardner,  has  this  intereiling  con- 
clufion  :  "  I  aik  your  prayers  for  me,  an 
unworthy  labourer  in  the  church.  May  the 
divine  prefence  and  wifdom  accompany  you 
through  the  refidue  of  your  life  !  I  fliall  not 
fee  you  in  this  world  ;  but  I  hope,  through 
grace,  you  will  be  among  the  firft  fpirits  I 
fliall  have  the  happinefs  of  meeting  in  the 
celeftial  realms." 

Dr.  Lardner's  laft  letter  to  Dr.  Stiles  is 
dated  "  Hoxton-Square  in  London,  April 
6,  1768."     The  Dodor  died  July   24,  in 

the 


iPRESIDENT  STILES.       119 

the  fame  year,  Mta.t.  85.  He  was  of  a  mid- 
dling flature  ;  rather  thin  than  corpulent  5 
of  a  healthful  eonftitution,  cheerful  difpofi- 
tion,  and  polite  manners.  He  was  never 
married;  His  many  learned  publications  in 
fupport  of  Chriftianity,  of  which  he  was  a 
real  ornament,  are  w-ell  known.  His  "Cred- 
ibility of  the  Gofpel  Hiftory"  is  a  very  elab- 
orate work,  which,  by  a  copious  flatement 
of  authentic  fa6^s,  demonftrably  eftablifhes 
the  authenticity  of  the  Chriflian  religion. 
This  valuable  work  being  voluminous,  it 
may  be  of  ufe  to  add  here  a  remark  of  the 
Author,  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Stiles :  "  The 
three  volumes  of  the  Supplement  do  contain  a 
kind  of  Summary  of  all  the  volumes  of  the 
Second  Fart.  1  could  wifh  the  Supplement 
(the  expence  of  which  is  not  very  great) 
might  be  in  the  hands  of  many  ftudents  of 
divinity,  and  young  minifters." 

This  year  he  copied,  for  the  firft  time,  the 
curious  Infcription  on  a  rock  in  Dighton, 
which  has  baffled  the  attempts  of  the  Anti- 
quarians of  America,  and  of  Europe,  to  decy- 
pher  to  entire  fatisfa£tion.  It  was  his  opinion, 
that  the  character  is  Punic.  ProfefTor  Sewall 
tranfmitted  a  copy  of  this  Infcription  to  M. 

Gebelin, 


U6  THE    LIFE    OF 

Gebelin,  of  the  Parifian  Academy  of  Sciences, 
who,  comparing  it  with  the  Punic  paleogra- 
phy, interpreted  it  as  denoting,  that  the  an- 
cient Carthaginians  once  vifited  thefe  diftant 
regions.*  Others  fuppofe  it  rather  an  hiero- 
glyphic infcription,  than  an  alphabetical 
charad;er,  and  that,  therefore,  it  may  be  the 
work  of  the  Chinefe,  or  Japanefe  ;  while 
fome  feem  inclined  to  conceive  of  it  as  noth- 
ing more  than  the  rude  fcrawls  of  fome  of 
the  Indian  tribes,  commemorating  their  mill- 
itary  atchievements,  or  hunting  parties,  f 


J.  Z>.  M,DCC,LXVIL— -SEtat.  XL. 

HIS  fentiments  on  the  moft  ufeful  method 
of  preaching,  and  of  defending  Revelation, 
appear  in  the  following  extract  from  a  letter, 
January  20,  to  Mr.  Jennings,  of  London  : 
— ^^  I  pray  God  to  uphold  your  caufe  and 
intereft,  and  carry  it  triumphantly  through 
all  its  difcouragements.  I  fully  join  in  your 
fentiments,  and  could  wifh  the  good  old 
Puritan  dodrines^  and  evangelical  principles 

were 

*  Prefident  Stiles'  Elei5lion  Sermon. 
t  See  Monthly  Review  for  May  1784,  p.  424. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       121 

were  revived,  and  more  generally  inculcated 
in  the  preaching  of  the  Diffenters.  They 
ave  the  wifdom  of  God,  and  the  power  of 
God. 

"  The  difqulfitions  of  Deifm,  and  the  de- 
fences of  Revelation,  during  the  laft  hun- 
dred years,  may  have  infenfibly  introduced  a 
manner  of  preaching,  which  confifts  more  in 
labouring  the  moral  explications  of  the  ration- 
ality of  the  Chriftian  fyftem,  than  an  enforce- 
ment and  weighty  addrefs  of  the  important 
truths  themfelves,  from  confiderations  drawn 
from  the  authority  of  the  Moft  High,  and 
the  momentous  confequences  of  eternity,  as 
well  as  the  innate  reafonablenefs  and  excel- 
lency of  evangelical  truth  :  The  latter,  I  ap- 
prehend, has  engrofTed  the  modern  preach- 
ing ;  the  former  may  have  been  too  little 
attended  to  :  both  fhould  go  together. 

*'  Revelation  is  to  be  fupported  and  de- 
fended by  arguments  taken  from  the  harmo- 
ny, dignity,  credibility,  and  reafonablenefs 
of  its  fyftem  ;  from  the  fulfilment  of  proph- 
ecy ;  and  from  miracles,  efpecially  that  cap- 
ital one  of  the  refurredion  of  Jefus.  But, 
being  eftablifhed,  its  dodrines  and  precepts 
are  to  be  alfedged  and  urged  home  upon 
Q_  the 


m  THE    LIFE    OF 

the  Confciences  of  mankind,  with  a  Thus 
faith  the  Lord  !  All  his  dicSlates  are  founded 
in  unerring  wifdom,  and  confummate  rea- 
fon*  If  I  know  his  will,  be  it  enough, 
whether  I  can^  enter  into  the  rationality  of 
it,  or  not  :  not  to  obferve,  that  the  greater 
part  of  Revelation  fo  far  approves  itfelf  to 
t)ur  reafon,  at  firft  view,  as  to  force  acknowl- 
edgment even  from  deifts,  that  it  compofes 
a  far  fublimer  fyftem,  than  that  of  Confu- 
cius^ Zoroafter,  Plato,  or  even  Shaftefbury, 
confidered  as  a  code  of  laws  for  human  con- 
dudt,  or  as  defcribing  a  part  of  the  moral 
economy  of  the  univerfe.  In  a  word,  there 
are  no  objections  againft  the  rationality  of 
th^  Scripture  fcheme,  but.  what  inftantly 
"i^anifh  from  a  mind  convinced,  that  it  is  de- 
rived from  the  Father  of  Lights. 

"  After  all,  the  deifts  are  not  the  meUy 
whom  we  are  to  expedt  to  influence  by  that 
truth,  which  is  alike  within  the  apprehen- 
fion  of  the  peafant,  and  of  inen  of  the  fub- 
limeft  genius  and  refinements  Not  many 
noble  are  called :  not  that  they  fhould  be  ne- 
gleded  ;  but  to  operate  both  on  them  and 
the  reft  of  a  fmful  world,  the  opening  and 
illuftrating,  not  fo  much  the  moral  reafon, 

as 


PRESIDENT  STILES,        123 

as  the  nature,  aad  exhibiting  plain  defcrip- 
tions,  of  eyangeHcal  truth,  and  enforcing  it 
as  founded  in  the  authority  of  4  Being  of 
perfedion,  may  perhaps  be  attended  with 
the  moll:  happy  effe(Sl  and  fuccefs." 

In  correfpondence  with  thefe  fentiments, 
he  wrote,  foon  after,  to  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Wright,  of  Briftol,  in  England ;  "  I  am  appre-^ 
henfive,  that,  for  half  a  century,  the  evangeli-f 
cal  dod:rine3  of  human  nature  in  ruins,  and  its 
reparation,  commencing  radically  in  a  change 
of  heart,  the  propitiation  and  atonement  of 
the  Redeemer,  and  juftification  through  his 
vicarious  facrifice,  and  the  dodtrines  con- 
nected with  thefe  grand  principles  of  the 
Chriflian  fyftem,  may  have  a  little  too  much 
given  place  to  what  is  called  a  more  ration- 
al and  polite  manner  of  preaching.  An4 
yet  I  would  by  no  means  feem  to  fay  any 
thing  againft  rational  fermons,  fmce,  in  my 
opinion.  Revelation  has  proceeded  from  the 
moft  perfect  and  confummate  Reafon.  I 
could  wifh  the  Independents  would  adopt 
the  learning  and  charity  of  the  Frefbyteri- 
ans ;  and  that  the  latter  would  a  little  more 
refume  thofe  evangelical  do6lrines,  for  which 
their  anceftors  were  very  eminent, 

«If 


124  THE    LIFE    OF 

"  If  we  confider  Revelation  as  only  a  re-, 
publication  of  the  light  of  Nature,  and  the 
laws  of  Virtue,  its  principal  glory  efcapes  us. 
An  inftitution  for  the  redrefs  of  a  polluted 
world  muft,  in  its  own  nature,  be  different 
from  an  inftitution  calculated  for  a  perfedb 
Vvorld,    a  fyftem  of  finlefs  intelligencies. — 
Accordingly,   we  find  the  great  atonement 
making  a  principal  figure  in  the  gofpel,  as 
being  the  only  bafis  of  the  recovery  and  re- 
conciliation of  this  world  to  the  favour  of 
Jehovah,    and  of  its  reunion   with  the  in- 
numerable myriads  of  moral  fyftems,  which 
compofe  the  univerfe. 

*'  I  have  thought  that  the  Deiftical  con- 
troverfy  has  infenfibly  led  the  Chriftian  paf- 
tors,  and  even  fome  of  the  beft  friends  of  the 
Redeemer,  into  a  conceflion,  that  nothing  is 
to  be  admitted  in  religion,  whofe  internal 
reafon  is  not  confpicuous  and  evincible.  But, 
as  Bifhop  Butler  has  fhewn,  a  religion  de- 
rived from  above  muft  be  fuppofed  to  in- 
volve intricacies  too  deep  for  human  folution. 
Should  any  man,  or  fet  of  men,  call  in  quef- 
tion  the  perfection  of  the  works  of  Nature  ; 
I  fhould  think  the  philofopher  adventured 
too  far,  in  joining  iffue,  and  undertaking  to 

ihew 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         125 

fhew  the  univerfal  beauty,  in  ail  given  in- 
ftances,  the  final  caufes,  and  real  perfedtion 
of  every  phenomenon  in  view.  We  may 
fee  enough,  to  be  convinced  that  all  is  per- 
fed:,  and  that  fuperior  minds  may  fee  perfec- 
tion in  every  part  j  w^hiie  it  will  become  our 
wifdom  to  confider  the  limitation  of  human 
capacities. — -—Let  it  be  proved,  that  a  reli- 
gion comes  from  the  fountain  of  infallibility, 
and  its  reafonablenefs  is  demonftrated.  It 
may  then  be  addrefled  to  mankind  with  the 
double  force  of  divine  authority,  and  of  in- 
ternal fitnefs  and  excellency." 

By  "  giving  up  every  thing,  which  we 
cannot  explain,"  he  judged  that  "  fome  of 
our  moft  fenfible  modern  writers  had  level- 
led the  gofpel  to  the  religion  of  nature,"  and 
given  up  its  elTential  dodtrines.*'  If  this 
fentiment  is  well  founded,  does  it  not  merit 
the  ferious  attention  of  Chriftian  minifters  ? 
*'  If  the  public  defenders  of  the  gofpel  ftudi- 
ouily  accommodate  its  principles  to  the  boaft- 
ed  but  perverted  reafon  and  liberality  of  an 
unbelieving  and  licentious  age  ;  will  they 
not  hold  up  the  Chriftian  revelation  to  the 
view  of  infidels  as  a  very  uncertain  and  un- 
important 

*  Scxjnon  at  tlie  Oifdlnation  c£  Mr.  Channing. 


la^  THE    LIFE    OF 

important  fyftem,  and  give  them  room  t^ 
fufped:  that  even  its  learned  and  profeffional 
advocates  are  fecretly  afhamed  of  fome  gf  its 
evident  and  diftinguilhing  features  ?"* 

A  letter  to  the  Reverend  Mr.  K-irkland, 
November  4,  defigned  to  make  enquiry  con- 
cerning Indian  antiquities,  clofes  in  the  fpirit- 
of  primitive  Chriftianity  :  "  You  are,  dear 
Sir,  employed  in  a  great  and  good  work. 
May  the  prefer^ce  and  blefling  of  the  Light 
of  the  Gentiles  attend  you,  and  accorripany 
your  labours  in  the  kingdom  and  patience  of 
our  divine  ImmanueL  The  fame  of  the  un- 
wearied afiiduity  and  truly  apoftolic  labours 
of  the  late  Reverend  David  Brainerd  is  fpread 
through  Europe  ;  I  lately  faw  an  extract  of 
his  journal  in  the  publication  of  a  German 
divine,  the  Reverend  Dr.  Frifenius.  The 
Reverend  Mr.  Sergeant's  character,  alfo,  was 
treated  with  great  honour  in  Europe.  You 
are  enterprizing  a  work,  which  will  commend 
your  name  to  pofterity.  But  thefe  are  tri- 
fling confiderations,  in  comparifon  with  the 
true  motives,  which  ought  to  animate  a  min- 
ifter  of  the  blelTed  Jefus.  Can  we  do  enough 
for  him,  who  loved  us  to  the  death  ?  Have  we 

tafled 

*  PrcfefTor  Tappau's  Convention  Sermon,  1797. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        227 

tafted  the  grace  of  the  Redeemer  ;  let  us  be 
touched  with  the  tender  wifh,  that  all  rtitti 
may  partake  of  the  fame  common  falvation. 
What  nobler  work  can  we  be  employed  in  on 
earth,  than  in  diffufmg  the  good  news  to  a 
perifhing  world,  and  pcrfuading  men  to  be 
reconciled  to  God  ?  Shall  not  pity  and  com- 
paffion  to  a  world  of  perifhing  fmners,  fhall 
not  the  approbation  of  Jefus,  Ihall  not  & 
name  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life,  be 
incentives  to  our  affiduity  infininitely  tran- 
icending  all  wordly  motives  ?" 

Nor  does  he  forbear  to  point  the  attention 
of  the  great  to  the  fublime  triiths  of  religion.- 
After  making  his  acknowledgments  to  GoV'*' 
ernor  Hutchinfon,  for  the  compliment  of  hisi 
hillory,  he  adds  i  "  Permit  me,  Sir,  to  wifb 
you  every  bleffing— -not  the  glorious  inde- 
pendence of  a  Britifh  nobleman,  dangerous 
to  virtue,  but  a  final  participation  in  the  ex- 
alted, though  dependent,  honours  of  im- 
mortality, in  the  fplendours  of  which  all 
fublunary  glory  vanifhes  and  is  loft." 

On  this  anniverfary  of  his  nativity,  he 
wrote  a  Birth-day  Refledion,  and  continued 
the  practice  annually,  with  but  one  or  two 
intermilTions,  to  the  time  of  his  death.     Ex- 

ttads 


12^  THE    LIFE    OF 

trads  from  this  manufcrlpt,  peculiarly  illuf* 
trative  of  his  piety,  fhali  occafionally  enrich 
the  following  pages* 


A,B.    M,DCC,LXVIII.— iExAT.  XLL 

THOUGH  the  Hebrew  language  was 
taught  at  Yale  College,  when  Dr.  Stiles  was 
a  ftudent  ;  yet,  not  then  expecting  to  enter 
the  miniftr)^  to  which  profeflion  only  this 
language  was  thought  to  be  of  ufe,  he  greatly 
negle£led  it.  After  his  fettlement  at  New- 
port, when  he  was  curious  to  inveftigate  the 
fenfe  of  fome  capital  Hebrew  words,  he  ufed 
to  find,  in  Montanus'  Hebrew  Bible,  firft 
the  Latin  word,  then  the  Hebrew  over  it  ; 
then  he  compared  the  fame  word  in  different 
texts,  and  guelTed  the  fenfe.  This,  with  the 
help  of  Foil  Synopfis^  gave  him  what  trifling 
affiftance  he  could  obtain  from  the  Hebrew* 
Some  light,  indeed,  he  derived  from  the  Jews 
at  Newport,  particularly  from  their  Huzzans, 
or  teachers,  by  allying  them  the  import  of 
thofe  Hebrew  words,  which  ftood  for  partic- 
ular paffages  in  the  Bible.  Eroceeding  in 
the  dudy  of  the  Scriptures,  and  of  divinity, 

he 


IPHESIDENT  STILES.       129 

he  felt  the  neceflity  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
Hebrew.  His  frequent  attendance  at  the 
Jews'  fynagogue  increafed  his  wifh  to  poflefs 
at  leaft  fo  much  of  it,  as  to  fee  a  little  into 
their  books  and  fervice.  On  receiving  a 
diploma  from  Edinburgh,  his  "  ambition  was 
touched,  or  rather  a  fenfe  of  fhame  excited, 
that  a  Dodior  of  Divinity  fhould  not  under- 
ftand  a  language,"  fo  important,  and  fo  eafily 
acquired.  But  the  delight  of  other  ftudies, 
and  the  drudgery  of  learning  a  dead  language, 
confpired  to  the  continuance  of  his  neglect. 
At  length,  however,  in  P4ay,  1767,  though 
advanced  into  the  fortieth  year  of  his  age,  he 
concluded  to  attempt  at  leaft  to  read  the  lan- 
guage. At  this  time  he  knew  but  ten  of  the 
Hebrew  letters.  Having  walked  a  few  timea 
on  the  parade  with  the  Huzzan,  who  gave 
him  the  true  power  of  the  letters  and  vow- 
els, he  began  to  fpell  and  read  the  Pfaiter. 
In  the  five  firft  days,  he  read  to  the  19th 
Pfalm.  Encouraged  by  his  fuccefs,  he  foon 
found  himfelf  able  to  read  about  ten  pages 
every  morning  after  breakfaf!:.  Not  long  af- 
ter, the  Huzzan  wrote  for  him  the  alphabet, 
with  the  vov/els  j  gave  him  the  founds,  and 
heard  him  fpell  moft  of  the  firfi  Pfalm.  He 
R  alfg 


$30  THE    LIFE    OF 

alfo  gave  him  the  Rabbinical  letters.     Thi5 
was  his  chief  afiiftance;     When  he  had  read 
the  Pfalter,  he  began  to  tranflate  it  into  Latin, 
and  finilhed  it  in  one  month.     After  tranf- 
lating  a  number  of  Pfalms  into  EngUfh,  he 
began  to  read  and  tranflate  Genefis.     Dur- 
ing this  period,  he   examined  many  pafla- 
ges,  and  critical,  important  words,  by  com- 
paring them   as  ufed  in   different  places  of 
feripturej    "  with  great  profit  and  fatisfac- 
tion.'*     He  alfo  examined  other  writings  in 
Chaldee,  and  Rabbinical  Hebrew  ;  and  the 
Samaritan  character,  in  which  the  fcripture 
Hebrew  was  originally  written  ;  "  the  pres- 
ent Hebrew  Bible  being  in  Hebrew  lan- 
guage, indeed)  but  in  the   Chaldaic  letter, 
in  which  Ezra  tranfcribed  it.'*     Having  read 
part  of  Genefis,  all  Exodus,  and  the  book  of 
Ezra  for  the  fake  of  the  Chaldee  in  it,  and 
much  of  the  Chaldee  in  Daniel ;  on  the  laft 
of  January^   1768,  he  began  the  tranflation 
of  Genefis,  and  finifhed  that  book,  and  Ex- 
odus, by  the   1 2th  of  May.     Thus,  almofl 
entirely  unaided,  within  one  year  he  "  un- 
expectedly  accomplifhed  the  tranflation  of 
the  Pfalms,  Genefis,  and  Exodus.'* 
p    This  year  he  alfo  read  confiderable  in  Ara- 
bic J  and  learned  the  Syriac  ;  and  remarked  : 

«  I  doubt 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        iji 

"  I  doubt  not  it  is  eafier  to  acquire  all  the 
oriental  languages,  efpecially  the  dialeds  of 
the  Hebrew,  than  any  one  modern  European 
language.  I  could  learn  Hebrew,  Arabic, 
Syriac,  Armenian,  with  lefs  pains  than  the 
Latin  only."  Such  a  teftimony,  from  an 
accomplifhed  claffical  fcholar,  united  with  his 
example,  fhould  encourage  the  ftudy  of  the 
oriental  languages,  efpecially  of  the  Hebrew, 
a  language  of  fmgular  importance  to  every 
theologian,  but  too  generally  neglected  at 
the  prefent  day.-^-^'^If  we  ftudy  the  Hebrew, 
only  with  a  view  to  the  Bible^  it  will  repay 
us.  It  is  a  glorious  language,  and  throws 
more  light  on  the  old  teftamenl,^  than  all 
the  commentators."* 

He  was,  this  year,  eleded  a   member  of 
the  American  Philofophical  Society. 


J.  D,   M,DCC,LXIX.— jEtat.  XLIL 

ON  the  I  ft  day  of  January  he  commenced 
a  Literary  Diary,  in  which  he  recorded  what 
appeared  to  him  moft  worthy  of  prefervation, 
in    his  converfations  with   perfons  of  lit- 
erature, 

♦  Dr.  Stiles'  Difcourfe  at  Mr.  Hopkins'  Inflalmcnt„ 


131  THE    LIFE    OF 

erature,  or  in  his  various  and  extenfive  read-^ 
ing.  It  records  much  curious  and  ufeful 
information  on  hiftory,  philofophy,  relig- 
ion, politics,  war,  and  on  every  fubje6t  in- 
terefling  to  man.  This  valuable  treafure  is 
contained  in  fifteen  quarto  volumes,  each 
confifling  of  above  300  pages.  The  Dodor. 
feldom  permitted  a  day  to  pafs  without  fomc 
addition  to  its  value  ;  and  the  date  of  the  laft 
entry  is  fix  days  only  before  his  death. 

Having,  for  feveral  years,  been  affiduoufly 
colledling  materials,  he  now  began  to  write  an 
Ecclefiaftical  Hiftory  of  New-England,  and 
of  Britifh  America,  It  is  greatly  to  be  la- 
mented that  he  did  not  altogether  complete 
a  work,  for  which,  in  the  acknowledgment 
of  the  beft  judges,  he  was  fmgularly  well 
qualified.  .  The  confufions  of  the  war,  which 
cccafioned  his  exile  from  Newport,  caufed 
the  firft  interruptions  of  this  favourite  under- 
taking ;  and  the  complex  cares  and  bufinefs 
of  the  prefidency,  at  a  fubfequent  period, 
might  not  allow  him  to  refume  it.  This 
valuable  manufcript,  however,  is  carefully 
prcferved  in  his  cabinet,  and,  at  fome  future 
time,  may  be  prepared  for  the  prefs.  It  is 
v/ith  reference  to  this  work,  that  Governor 
Hutchinfon,  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Stiles,  having 

mentioned 


^     PRESIDENT  STILES,        133 

mentioned  his  defign  of  publilliing  the  Hif- 
tory  of  MalTachufetts  Bay,  obferves,  "  How 
far  it  will  interfere  with  your  defign,  you 
will  be  able  to  judge.  If  I  had  known  that 
a  gentleman  of  your  talents  was  engaged  in 
a  work  of  this  nature,  I  fhould  not  have 
thought  there  would  be  occafion  of  employ- 
ing myfelf  in  the  fame  way.  My  materials 
would  have  been  better  improved  in  your 
hands,  than  in  my  own." 

He  made  it  an  invariable  pradbice  this  year, 
to  read  one  chapter,  or  more,  in  courfe,  in 
the  Hebrew  Bible,  and  a  portion  of  Arabic 
every  morning,  except  on  the  Lord's  day. 

The  primitive  Fathers,  and  ecclefiaftical 
writers  of  every  defcription,  he  continued  to 
examine  with  critical  care  and  indefatigable 
induftry.  He  had  already  copied  "  Eutychii 
Origines  Ecclefi^  Alexandrinse,"  in  the 
Arabic  letter,  and  tranflated  it  from  the  orig- 
inal.* This  copy,  in  the  Arabic  letter,  beau- 
tifully written,  and  the  tranflation,  are  pre- 
ferved  in  a  manufcrlpt  volume,  devoted  to 
Hebrew  and  Arabic.  He  now  "  learned 
fomewhat  of  the  Syriac,  and  dipt  into  Perfic, 
Coptic,  and  the  other  oriental  languages." 

On 

*  See  s  valuable  extract  from  this  tranflation,  in  his 
Ele(JHon  Sermon,  p.  112,  2d  edit. 


134  THE    LIFE    OF 

On  the  3d  of  June,  he  was  affidnouOy  em- 
ployed in  obferving  the  tranfit  of  Venus, 
which  would  "  not  happen  again  in  above 
an  hundred  years  at  either  node  ;  and  at  this 
defcending  node,  not  in  two  hundred  and 
thirty-fix  years,  or  before  A.  D.  2004.'* 
This  rare  and  interefling  aftronomical  phe- 
nomenon furnifhed  him  a  rich  entertain- 
ment, and,  as  he  afterwards  apprehended, 
engroffed  too  much  of  his  time.  His  own 
obfervations  on  this  tranfit,  and  on  that  of 
Mercury,  together  with  the  obfervations  of 
other  aftronomers,  in  Europe  and  America, 
he  colle£ted  and  preferved  with  patient  dili- 
gence and  philofophical  exa£lnefs.  Thefe 
obfervations,  together  with  the  calculations 
made  on  them,  compofe  a  quarto  volume. 

In  September  he  obfen^ed  a  comet,  which 
then  made  its  appearance,  and,  as  ufual,  pre-^ 
ferved  his  obfervations. 

Having  read  a  Review  of  Dow's  Hiftory 
of  Hinduflan,  he  judged  that  this  author 
might  furnifh  him  with  a  fatisfadtory  ac- 
count of  the  religion  of  that  country,  and  of 
other  fubjeds  of  enquiry,  which  his  own  in- 
quifitive  mind  fuggefted  ;  and  accordingly 
wrote  him  a  letter,  December  27,  foliciting 

fuch 


iPRESIDENT   STILES.        z^i 

fuch  information.  Among  his  enquiries  are 
ihe  following  :  Whether  the  whole  of  th^ 
Veda  has  been  tranflated  into  Englilh  ?* 
Whether  the  Sanfcrit  is  the  language,  in 
which  the  four  Vedas  %vere  originally  writ- 
ten ;  and  whether  it  is  generally  underftood 
bv  the  Brahmans  of  the  prefent  age  ? 
Whether  there  is  any  fimilitude  between  this 
and  the  Hebrew  ?  Whether  both  Shafters 
are  in  the  fame  language  and  character  I 
Which  Shafter  contains  the  fublimeft  doc* 
trines,  and  pureft  morals  ;  that  of  Neaderfen, 
or  Vedang  ?  Are  the  inflitutes  \)f  idolatry 
exhibited  in  the  Vedang  only ;  or,  alfo,  in 
the  Neaderfen,  and  four  Vedas  ?  Or,  does  it 
appear  in  thefe  oriental  writings,  when  the 
departure  from  the  pure  primeval  worfhip 
commenced  ?  Whether,  in  thefe  writings, 
any  mention  is  made  of  the  deluge  ?f  If  fo, 

at 

*  It  was  not  tranflated  in  1794.  In  Sir  John  Shore's 
Oration  before  the  Aliatic  Society,  that  year,  a  tranJQa- 
tion  of  the  Veda  is  mentioned  among  the  dtfiderata  of 
Sir  William  Jones.  Colonel  Poller,  a  member  of  the 
Afiatic  Society,  pofTsffes  a  complete  copy  of  the  four 
Vedas,  in  the  original  Sanfcrit,  in  eleven  large  volumes. 

t  Though  the  tranflatoi  of  the  Gentoo  Laws  (in  his 
Preface,  page  38)  afierts,  that  the  flood  is  never  once 
mentioned  in  the  Gentoo  Shafters,  Sir  Willir.in  Jones 
fiicws  th«  it  ii. 


13^  THiE    LlVt    0? 

at  what  antiquity  is  that  event  placed  ?  What 
the  mofl  ancient  cycles  for  the  vulgar  fup- 
putation  of  time  ;  and  from  what  eras  do 
they  commence  ?  How  many  years  to  a 
Yhug — in  the  four  Yhugs^ — and  what  Yhug, 
whether  fecond,  third,  or  fourth,  is  now  cur- 
rent ?  *  Whether  the  learned  among  the 
Brahmans  have  an  extenfive  knowledge  of 
the  fciences,  antiquities,  and  hiftories,  of  other 
nations  ?  An  eftimate  of  the  total  of  the  in- 
habitants in  India,  Within  the  Indus  and 
Ganges,  and  fouthward  to  Ceylon  :  and  the 
proportions  of  the  two  grand  fe<Sl:s  of  the 
Veda  religion,  and  alfo  of  the  Mahometans 
and  Perfees,  within  that  empire.  Whether 
tho  religion  of  the  Vedas  has  fpread  far 
to  the  eailward  of  Bengal,  or  reached  Pegu, 

or  Siam  ? 

About 

*  The  Hindus  reckon  the  duration  of  the  world,  by 

four  Jogues,  [Yhugs]  or  diftinft  ages. 1.  The  Suttee 

Jogue,  (or  age  of  purity)  confifting  of  3,200,000  years. 
2.  The  Tirtah   Jogue,   (or  age  in  which  one  third 

of  mankind  were  reprobate)  2,400,000  years. 3.  The 

Dwapaar  Jogue,  (in  which  half  of  the  human  race  became 

depraved)    1,600,000  years 4.  The  CoUe  Jogue,  (in 

which  all  mankind  are  corrupted,  or  ratlier,  le/Tened,  for 
that  is  the  true  meaning  of  Colle)  is  the  preftnt  era, 
which  tliey  fuppofe  ordained  to  fubfift  400,000  years,  of 
which  nearly  5000  are  already  paft. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       tjf 

About  this  time  it  appears,  that  he  "  al- 
tered'* his  "  fentiments,  as  to  the  time  when 
to  begin  the  2300  evenings  mornings,*  and 
1 290  days,  in  Daniel."  "  There  are,"  he 
oblei-ves,  "  but  three  poffible  epochas — either 
the  time  of  Daniel,  the  defolation  of  Antio- 
chus  Epiphanes,  or  the  deftruction  by  Titus. 
I  ufed  to  fix  it  at  the  time  of  the  vifion  ; 
but  am  now  inclined  to  fet  it  at  the  time  of 
Titus.  It  is  plain,  the  abomination  of  defo- 
lation is  the  commencement  of  the  2300 
evenings  mornings,  and  the  1290  days.  It 
is  alfo  plain,  that  this  defolation  was  to  be 
fubfequent  to  the  eredion  of  the  Greek  mon- 
archy, and  coiifequently,  fubfequent  to  the 
times  of  Daniel.  Further,  it  was  not  only 
after  the  partition  of  the  empire  of  Alexan- 
der into  four  kingdoms  ;  but  at  the  lat- 
ter time  of  their  kingdom,  tar.*0^'D  n'5'nnKS. 
Now,  Antiochus's  profanation  was  within 
about  a  hundred  years  of  Alexander,  and  be- 
fore the  middle  of  the  period  of  the  four 
kingdoms  collectively  taken.  The  four  king- 
doms I  take  to  have  been  that  of  the  Seleu-< 
S  cidae, 

*  Here  is  a  reference  to  th^  original  woi  us,   (Daniel 
viii.  14"!  IPS  s-.y. 


j;^^  THELIFEOF 

cidXf  at  Babylon  ;  that  of  the  Macedomaiiy 
or  Greek,  divifion  ;  that  of  Syria  ;  and  that 
of  Egypt.  As  to  the  reft  of  the  empire  or 
conquefls  of  Alexander,  they  were  in  a  di- 
vided and  broken  ftate  ;  no  part  ever  rifing 
up  to  the  ftate  and  figure  of  a  kingdom^ 
through  the  extended  trad  of  Parthia,  the 
lefler  Afia,  and  countries  north  of  Syria.  Of 
the  four,  Syria,  and  the  kingdom  of  the  Se- 
leucidas,  firft  fell  a  facrifice  to  the  Roman  arms* 
In  them  the  Romans  rife  up,  or  appear  a  lit- 
tle horn,  in  the  field  of  vifion,  pufliing  toward 
the  eaft  and  fouth,  and  the  pleafant  land. 
The  Parthians  bounded  the  Roman  arms, 
and  never  fell  till  the  times  of  the  Caliphs, 
feven  hundred  years  after  the  conqueft  of 
Egypt,  in  the  Auguftan  age.  If  we  aflume 
the  latter  times  of  thefe  kbigdoms  to  have 
happened  in  the  times  of  the  Csefars  ;  or, 
if  we  make  the  Romans  the  little  horn. 
We  are  neceffitated  to  fix  the  commence- 
ment of  the  2300  years  at  the  defolation  of 
Titus,  or  laft  deftrudion  of  the  temple, 
A.  D.  70. 

"I  am  confirmed  in  this  interpretation, 
for  the  prefent,  by  our  Saviour's  evidently 

fpeaking 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       139 

fpeaking  of  the  abomination,  fpoken  of  by 
Daniel,  as  then  future.* 

"  Had  we  commenced  the  2300  year^ 
from  the  time  of  Daniel,  the  period  is  now 
expiring,  or  juft  expired  j  and  fo  we  might 
now  be  looking  out  for  the  cleanfmg  of  the 
fan£luary.  But,  on  th^  latter  fuppofition, 
this  event  is  600  years  ofF — a  period  too  dif- 
^ant  to  excite  the  attention  of  the  prefent  age." 

By  a  computation  in  the  Doctor's  Family 
Bible,  on  the  margin  of  Daniel's  prophecy, 
and  by  a  paflage  in  his  Eledion  Sermon, 
[page  118,  2d  Edit.]  it  appears,  that  he  did 
not  find  caufe  to  renounce  this  conftrudlioa 
of  the  prophecies  concerning  the  Millennium, 

*  A.  D.  70,  dsfolation  fpoken  of  by  Daniel, 
2300  evenings  mornings. 

A.  D.  2370,  end  of  2300  evenings  mornings,  and  re^ 
turn  of  the  Jews. 
Again  :   A.  D.  70 
1290 

136c,  end  of  1250  day;. 
1335 


A.  D.  2695,  coming  of  Mefliah  the  fecond  timcj 

2370         325  years  after  the  return  of  the 

— -         Jev/s,    and  the  rebuilding   of  th* 

325  temple,  downfal  of  Antichriit,  and 

fulncfs  of  the  Gentiles, 


149  ^^^    LIFE    OF 

A.  D,  M,DCC,LXX.— J:tat.  XLIIL 

ALTHOUGH  Dr.  Stiles'  falary  was  finally 
his  people,  by  frequent  gratuities,  provided 
a  decent  and  honourable  fupport  for  his 
family.  Having  lately  received  a  generous 
donation,  raifed  by  voluntary  fubfcription, 
he  was  touched  with  fympathy  for  a  Chrif- 
tian  brother,  whofe  fupport  was  fo  inade- 
quate, as  to  threaten  the  necelTity  of  his  re- 
moval from  the  miniftry.  The  Society 
was  opulent  ;  but,  the  laws  of  Rhode-Ifland 
Colony  not  authorizing  an  afleffment  for  the 
fupport  of  the  miniftry,  the  falary  was  paidj 
very  difproportionally,  by  a  few  individuals. 
To  excite  a  liberal  fpirit  among  the  people, 
and  prevent  the  lofs  of  a  ufeful  minifter,  the 
DoQor  addrefled  himfelf  to  an  influential 
member  of  that  Society,  diftinguilhed  for  his 
liberality,  foliciting  his  adive  exertions  for 
the  promotion  of  this  defign.  The  princi- 
ples, maintained  in  this  letter,  are  vvorthy 
of  the  pvimitive  age  of  Chriftianity  ;  and 
deferve  the  ferious  contemplation  of  many 
churches,  called  Chriilian. 

Having  mentioned   the  liberality  of  his 
own  people,  he   adds  ;    **  Give  me  leave, 

according 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         141 

according  to  the  example  of  an  apoflle,  from 
this  inftance,  to  recommend  and  incite  a  like 
liberality,   in   ypur   Congregation,   towards 
your  very  worthy  Paftor.     He  has  certainly 
been  a  pubUc  bleffing  to  your  Society,  as 
you  are  all  fenfible  ; — but  he  greatly  needs 
your  help  ;  and  you  will  do  a  fendce,  un- 
doubtedly acceptable  to    God,  fhould  you 
kindly  promote  (o  generous  a  purpofe.     God 
is  able  to  open  the  hearts  of  your  refpedable 
Congregation,  to  a  liberality  beyond  ypur  ex- 
pedation.     May  the  love  of  Chrift  excite  a 
willingnefs    and   emulation  in    all,  to   give 
fomething  according  to  their  abilities,  and  as 
God  fhall  blefs  their  bufmefs  and  fubftance. 
But  let  them  do  it  from  no  conilraint,  no 
perfuafion  ;  but,  fimply  and  truly,  becaufe 
they  believe  it,  by  Scripture,  to  be  an  apof- 
tolic  church,  and,  as  fuch,  dear  to  the  bleiTed 
Jefus,  the  divine  Head  of  the  church.     The 
upholding  of  fuch  a  Congregation,  for  our 
own  edification,  that  of  our  children,  and 
pofterity,  ftands  recommended  to  us  from 
higher  confiderations,  than  any  and  AW/ecular 
motives,  taken  together  :    there  is  a  confid- 
eration,  which  outweighs  them  all.     I  could 
wilh   your   Society,  and   all  the    Chriftian 

churches 


142  THE    LIFE    OF 

churches  on  earth,  influenced  in  Religion  by 
this  confideration  alone,  unmixed  with  any 
fecular  advantages  or  emolument  whatever. 
The  Love  of  Jesus,  a  motive  however 
defpifed,  is  fufficient,  if  prevalent  in  your 
Congregation,  to  anfwer  all  the  pubHc  pur- 
pofes  of  fociety.  Take  this  motive  out  of  a 
Chriftian  aflembly,  unobliged  by  law,  and, 
though  ten  times  larger  than  your's,  its  pov- 
erty would  be  greater  :  with  this  truly  prim- 
itive principle,  fifty  or  a  hundred  common, 
nay,  poor  families,  can  certainly  maintain 
the  gofpel." 

Having  long  had  it  in  contemplation  to 
"  fet  up  a  monthly  meeting  of  his  church  by 
themfelves,  to  pray  and  fmg  together,  and  to 
adapt  a  difcourfe  to  believers,  advancing 
and  improving  in  the  religious  life  ;"  on 
Lord's  day,  January  14,  he  propofed  the  de- 
fign.  On  the  evening  of  the  next  day,  the 
church  met  at  his  houfe,  and  attended  the 
religious  fervice.  Commenced  from  pious 
motives,  it  was  regularly  maintained  till  the 
difperfion  of  the  church,  in  1775.  While 
it  happily  ferved  to  cement  the  Chriftian 
fraternity,  and  to  chcrifh  the  facred  flame  of 
pie:-y  5  it  furniflied  a  delightful  employment 

to 


PRESIDENT  STitES.        14^ 

to  the  devout  paftor.  The  effed  was  fo 
fahitary,  that  he  publickly  recommended 
fuch  "  occafional  meetings  of  the  church 
with  their  paftor."*  "  The  memory  of  thofe 
meetings  is  ftill  imprinted  on  the  hearts  of 
a  number  who  were  interefted  in  thofe 
pleafmg  feafons  of  Ghriftian  communion."f 

About  this  time,  he  convinced  three  per- 
fons,  two  of  whom  were  originally  Quakers, 
and  one  a  Baptift,  of  the  obligation  to  make 
a  public  profefTion  of  religion.  They  had 
attended  his  miniftry  for  feveral  years,  and 
were  all  now  fully  fatisfied,  that  water- 
baptifm,  and  the  Lord's  fupper,  were  Chrift's 
inftitutions  ;  that  infants  ought  to  be  bap- 
tized ;  and  that  the  quantity  of  water  is  im- 
material. One  prefented  two  children  for- 
baptifm. 

It  was  cuftomary  for  the  Epifcopallan 
minifters  to  preach  a  fermon  on  the  30th  c^ 
January,  in  commemoration  of  the  martyr- 
dom (for  fo  it  w^as  ftyled)  of  Charles  the 
Firft.  The  return  of  this  day  awakened  his 
indignation  at  the  oppreflions  of  that  arbi- 
trary 

*  Sermon  at  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Channing. 

f  Rev.  Mr.  Patten's  Sermon,  occafioned  by  the  death 
of  Prefxdent  Stiles. 


144  THE    LIFE    OF 

trary  king,  and  occafioned  remarks  worthy 
of  an  enlightened  and  ardent  friend  to  lib- 
erty, and  to  the  peifecuted  caufe  of  Puritan- 
ifm.     "  This  day,  if  obferved  at  all,  ought 
to  be  celebrated  as   an   anniverfary  thankf- 
giving,    or    memorial,    that   one   nation  on 
earth  had  fo  much  fortitude  and  public  juf- 
tice,  as  to  make  a  royal  tyrant  bow  to  the 
fovereignty  of  the  people,  inftitute  a  judi- 
cial trial  of  a  monarch,  and  fentence  him  to 
the   puniihmeht    and    execution  which    he 
merited,  for  diflblving  his  parliament  twelve 
years  ;  for  forcing  loans  on  the  fubjedt,  by 
rigorous  fines  and  arbitrary  imprifonments ; 
for  burying  jDr.  Lay  ton  in  a  dungeon  twelve 
years  for  boldly  telling  the  truth  ;  for  thofe 
proclamations  and  edicts,  by  which  Pym^ 
Boftwick,  and   others,  fuffered  moft  barba- 
rous cruelties  ;  and  for  exalting  and  fuftain- 
ing  that  fcourge  of  juftice,  religion,  and  hu- 
manity, archbifhop  LaUd  ;  for  arbitrarily  va- 
ulting the  New  England  charter,  in   1635^ 
within  feveri  or  eight  years   after  he  had 
granted  it ;  and  for  eftablifliing,  under  arch- 
bifhop Laud,  a  commifTion  to  rule  the  col- 
onies by  fubjedling  them  to   Epifcopal  and 
military  government,  with  authority  of  re- 
manding 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         14^ 

manding  all  offenders  hence,  to  be  tried  ia 
England  at  the  pleaiure  of  thofe,  who  could, 
v/ith  good  will,  have  brought  on  an  extir- 
pation of  Puritanifin  from  England  and 
America,  by  fire  and  fword.  In  a  word, 
king  Charles  the  Firft  had  eflablilhed  max- 
ims of  civil  and  religious  polity  utterly  fub- 
verfive  of  all  the  principles  of  Runemede* 
liberty,  and  the  Englifh  conftitution.  For,  if 
the  point  can  be  carried,  that  an  Englifh 
monarch  can  raife  a  revenue,  diilblve  and 
inftitute  laws  by  edi£t,  and  rule  without 
parliament  twelve  years  ;  he  may  banilh 
parliaments  into  defuetude  firft,  and  bring 
on  their  annihilation ;  and  thus  the  whole 
government  will  be  reduced  to  the  will  of 
the  fovereign.  This,  however  the  cafe  in 
moft  empires  on  earth,  cannot  be  the  cafe 
in  England,  without  a  demolition  of  the 
pillars  of  the  Englifh  conftitution.  That 
Englifh  monarch,  who  actually  does  this, 
forfeits  his  life  to  the  people.  This  was  the 
cafe  with  the  defpotic,  deluded  Charles."  f 
T  In 

*  Runemede  is  the  place  where,  in  12 15,  Magna  Char« 
ra  was  figned  by  king  John  and  the  barons  of  England. 

t  Literary  Diary, 


146  THE    LIFE     OF 

In  Odober,  he  finifhed  the  Hebrew  Bi- 
ble, which  he  began  to  read  in  courfe  near- 
ly three  years  before.  Should  an  EngHlli 
reader  fufpedt,  that  the  Old  Teftament  is 
not  faithfully  tranllated,  fueh  a  fufpicion 
ftiould  be  obliterated  by  the  declaration  of 
one,  who  diligently  compared  the  tranflation 
with  the  original,  and  whofe  knowledge  of 
the  Hebrew  language  qualified  him  to  form 
a  juft  judgment  on  this  fubje6l.  "  I  have 
all  along  (faith  the  Dodor)  compared  the 
Engliih  and  Hebrew  together,  and  am  able, 
from  my  own  knowledge,  to  fay,  That  the 
Englifh  tranflation,  now  in  ufe,  is  an  excel- 
lent and  very  juft  tranflation,  and  needs 
very  few  corredlions."*" 

Thirteen  years  after,  when  he  had  very 
repeatedly  examined  the  originals  of  both 
Teftaments,  he  gave  it  as  his  judgment,  that 
*'  the  Engliih  tranflation  of  the  Bible  is 
made  with  very  great  accuracy,  allowing 
that  fome  texts  admit  of  corredion."  "  I 
have  compared  it,"  faid  he,  "  throughout 
with  the  originals,  Hebrew,  Greek,  and 
Syriac  ;  and  beg  leave  to  judge,  and  teftify 
it  to  be,  a  very  excellent  tranflation." f 

He 

*  Literary  Diary. 

t  Eledion  Sermon,  p.  88,  fccond  edition. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        147 

He  now  entered  on  the  reading  of  the 
Rabbinical  writings,  and  digefted  an  abftra£t 
of  them  from  the  time  of  the  great  fyna- 
gogue  to  the  completion  of  both  Talmuds. 

This  year  he  had  confiderable  fuccefs  in 
the  miniftr)^,  and  admitted  twenty-eight  com- 
municants into  his  church. 


A.  D.  M,DCC,LXXI.---^TAT.  XLIV. 

THE  Reverend  Mr.  Rufmeyer,  a  Mora- 
vian minifter  at  Newport,  prefented  him  a 
new  edition  of  Serranus'  Greek  Pfahns,  with 
Okely's  Latin  tranflation.  On  this  occalion, 
he  gives  his  judgment  refpedling  the  intro- 
duction of  Chriftian  authors  into  the  fchools, 
inftead  of  the  heathen  claffics.  The  defign 
of  the  pubUcation  \Vas,  to  change  the  books 
ufed  in  the  ftudy  of  the  dead  languages  ; 
and,  inftead  of  the  ancient  Pagan  authors, 
full  of  idolatrous  worfhip,  to  fubJlitute  the 
modern  Chriftian  writers,  "  There  can  be 
but  one  objection,"  he  obferves,  "  againd 
this.  That  the  Greek  of  Homer,  Xenophon 
and  Thucydides,  and  the  Latin  authors  of 
the  Auguftan  age,  muft  be  purer  than  thg 

moderns  j 


148  THE    LIFE    OF 

moderns  ;  the  Hebrew  of  Mofes  and  Ifaiah 
purer  than  that  of  Jarchi  or  Maimonides, 
though  thefe  laft  are  excellent.  Yet,  it  may 
be  faid,  as  the  only  end  of  learning  the  dead 
languages,  is  to  underftand  them,  and  not  fo 
much  to  write  them  perfectly  and  elegantly, 
(an  impoffible  attempt ;)  fo,  the  interpreta- 
tion and  fyntax  of  thefe  languages  may  be 
learned,  with  fufhcient  accuracy,  from  lefs 
perfect  compofitions,  which  have  the  advan- 
tage of  conveying  evangelical  fentiments  with 
the  language.  To  which  it  may  be  again 
faid,  That  in  Engliih  books  thefe  fentiments 
may  be  conveyed  with  greater  clearnefs  and 
facility.  So  that  I  rather  incline  to  the  An- 
cients, banifliing  Horace,  Juvenal,  and  the 
unchafte  tribe,  and  making  choice  of  the  beft, 
Cicero,  Juftin,  Tacitus,  Virgil,  for  Latin  ;  Ho- 
mer, Xenophon,  Plato,  Dionyfms,  among  the 
Greeks,  I  think,  cannot  be  equalled,  for  pu- 
rity of  language.  If  a  ftranger  were  to  learn 
Englifh,  he  would  not  learn  an  Englifh  book 
written  by  a  German,  or  an  Italian,  but  by  a 
Pope,  or  an  Addifon." 

What  efFeQ;  hiftorical  refearches,  and  ob- 
fervations  on  the  political  world,  produced 
on  bis  afpiring  mind,  appears  from  a  letter 

to 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       149 

to  the  Reverend  Mr.  Wright,  of  Briftol  : 
"  Tired  of  feeing  or  reading  of  the  convul- 
fions  of  States,  and  the  revolutions  of  Em- 
pires, on  this  minutefimal  and  evanishing 
globe,  I,  at  times,  wifh  to  have  done  vvath  it, 
and  to  wing  away  to  the  realms  of  light, 
peace,  and  eternal  ferenity.  But  we  muft 
ftand  in  our  lot,  and  fulfil  our  day  in  the 
vineyard,  that  we  may  ftand  in  our  lot  in 
the  refurredtion  ftate." 

It  was  always  delightful  to  him,  to  fee 
greatnefs  adorned  wiih  goodnefs  ;  and  phi- 
lofophy  fan^tified  by  religion.  Whatever 
favourable  opportunity  occurred  for  recom^ 
mending  Chriftian  morality  and  piety  to  men 
of  eminence  in  the  literary  or  political 
world,  he  improved  it  with  pleafure  ;  and 
with  a  felicity  of  addrefs,  highly  propitious 
to  his  defign. 

To  Dr.  Franklin,  in  London,  he  .wrote  a 
letter  of  introduction,  in  behalf  of  Henry 
Marchant,  Efquire,  who  went,  this  year,  an 
agent  for  Rhode-Ifland  to  the  court  of  Great- 
Britain.  "  If,"  he  obferves,  "  his  bufinefs 
would  permit,  I  could  wifh  him  an  extenfive 
tour  on  the  Continent,  that  the  adual  view 
of  the  manners,  policies,  and  the  fpirit  of 

government, 


I50  THE     LIFE     OF 

government,  in  different  cities  and  kingdoms, 
in  the  prefent  age,  might  eftablifh  an  happy 
enlargement  of  his  underftanding,  and  lay  a 
foundation  of  his  greater  ufefulnefs  in  life, 
I  hope  he  will  prefers'^e  the  religion  of  Jefus, 
and  the  love  of  his  country,  facred  and  ivrvU 
date  in  his  own  breaft,  in  every  view  of 
mankind,  kingdoms,  and  empires  ;  and 
through  all  connexions  and  intercourfe  with 
thofe  who  are  too  wife,  and  too  great,  to  be 
inftruded  by  the  ligbi  of  the  world^  the  light 
of  the  univerfe.  A  man  that  fhines  in 
America,  may  be  loft  in  the  blaze  of  Lon- 
don, Paris,  or  Rome.  A  man  that  fhines 
even  through  the  world  itfelf,  (as,  to  fay  it 
without  flattery,  does  the  eledtric  philofo-» 
pher)  may  be  loft  in  the  fplendour  of  the  ce-^ 
leftial  world,  where  they 

"  Shew  a  Newton  as  we  fliew  an  ape/* 

Yet,  why  fhould  I  fay  loft  ?  for  every  one 
that  ad;s  his  part  worthily  below,  and  imi- 
tates the  Sun  of  Righteoufnefs  in  benefi- 
cence, (hall  fhine  as  the  brightnefs  of  the  fir- 
mament in  the  kingdom  of  Jefus.  My  ex- 
preffions  are  ftrong,  but  not  beyond  what 
may  pofTibly  be  the  truth  of  any  man,  and, 
I  am  fure,  not  ftronger  than  my  wifhes  fot 

your 


PRESIDENT   STILES.        15^ 

your  prefent  virtue,  and  final  participation: 
with  all  the  wile  and  good,  of  all  ages,  in 
the  felicity  and  glories  of  the  refurredion 
flate.  The  Santon  Herewi,  in  the  time  of 
the  Turkifli  emperor  Orchanus,  could  fay, 
that  he  had  led  vidorious  armies  from  Ti- 
gris to  Nile,  governed  provinces  and  king- 
doms with  his  fceptre,  been  triumphantly 
adorned  with  precious  ftones,  and  glittering 
arms,  and  had  made  the  world  tremble  at 
the  very  mention  of  his  name  :  Till,  fatiat- 
ed  with  human  glor)^,  he  retired  to  Deity, 
and  found  that  fatisfadion  in  God,  which 
the  world  could  not  give.  Solomon  came 
to  this  conclufion.  May  you  and  my 
friend  arrive  at  the  fame  conclufion,  with- 
out the  dangerous  experiments  in  vice  made 
by  too  many  of  the  great,  whofe  folly  over- 
takes them  before  they  arrive  at  philofoph- 
ical  conclufions,  before  they  reach  the^tem- 
ple  of  wifdom." 

This  year  his  portrait  was  taken,  which  19 
rendered  valuable,  by  exhibiting  a  confid- 
erable  refemblance  of  the  countenance,  to- 
gether with  an  agreeable  fpecimen  of  the 
genius  and  tafte,  of  the  original.  It  is  charg- 
ed with  emblems,  which  he  judged  to  be 

more 


tS2  THE    LIFE    OF 

more  defcriptive  of  his  mind,  than  the  por- 
trait is  of  his  face.  He  is  drawn  in  a  teach- 
ing attitude,  with  the  right  hand  on  the 
breaft,  and  the  left  holding  a  bible.  Be- 
hind, and  on  his  left  fide,  is  a  part  of  a  li- 
brary;  a  folio  Ihelf,  with  Eufebius,  Livy^ 
Du  Halde's  hiftory  of  China,  the  Zohar, 
the  Babylonian  Talmud,  Aben  Ezra,  Rabbi 
Selomo  Jarchi,  Rabbi  Mofes  Ben  Maimon, 
and  Moreh  Nevochim.*     On  another  fhelf 

are 

*  "By  tiiefe  books  he  denotes  his  tafte  for  hiftory,  ef- 
pecially  that  of  the  Roman  empire,  of  the  church  in  the 
three  firft  centuries,  and  of  the  reformation  ;  of  Ghina» 
as  containing  a  fyftematical  view,  for  4000  years,  of  an 
ancient  and  vaftly  numerous  people,  and  different  from 
all  the  reft;  of  the  Orientals ;  for  the  Rabbinical  learning, 
particularly  in  the  two  moft  eminent  periods  of  it ;  the 
/r/?,  before  and  at  the  time  of  Chrift,  containing  the  de- 
cisions of  ly-nn  n'n.t  afterward  of  the  houfe  of  R.  Elea* 
zar,  at  Babylon,  and  thofe  of  the  houfe  s  of  Hillel  and 
Shammai,  at  Jerufalem  ;  the  fecond,  at  the  revival  of 
the  Hebrew  learning,  in  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  centu- 
ries, when  arofe  thofe  lights  of  the  captivity,  Jarchi, 
Maimonides,  and  others.  This  learning  he  prized,  only 
for  the  fcattered  remains  of  the  ancient  doftrine  of  the 
Trinity,  and  of  a  fuffering  Meffiah,  prefer ved  in  the  opin- 
ions of  fome  of  the  Rabbins  before  Chrift.     The  Moreh 

Nevochim 

f  "  Same  time  Before  fie  Macedonian  conquejl,  tie  Sanhedrim,  I  apfre- 
tend,  injlittitei  and  crtfieifynagogues,  for  the  inJiruWon  of  tl>!  people  in  the 
la-.v  ;  and  hence  the  fynagrgue  was  tailed  »*na  ri'2,  The  houfe  of  F.x- 
pofition."  Fref.  Stilti  MSS. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        153 

are  Newton's  Principia,  Plato,  Watts,  Dod- 
dridge, Cudworth's  Intellectual  Syftem,  and 
the  New-England  divines,  Hooker,  Cliaiin- 
cy,  Davenport,*  Mather,  Cotton, 

At  his  right  hand  ftands  a  pillar.  On  the 
fhaft  is  a  circle,  and  one  trajectory  around  a 
folar  point,  as  an  emblem  of  the  Newtonian^ 
or  Pythagorean,  fyftem  of  the  fun,  planets, 
and  comets.  At  the  top  of  the  vifible  part 
of  the  pillar,  and  on  the  fide  of  the  wall,  is 
an  emblem  of  the  Intelle<Stual  World,  f 

BIRTH- 

Nevochim,  which  was  originally  written  in  Atabic,  is  cu-* 
rious,  for  many  reafons.  It  was  a  capital  work,  and  be- 
came an  occafion  of  the  greateft  literary  difpute  among 
the  Jews,  fmce  the  days  of  Hillel.  It  contains  great  con- 
ceffions,  which  have  recommended  it  to  Chriftian  divines- 

*  Prefident  Chauncy,  and  John  Davenport,  B.  D.  £rft 
zninifler  of  New-Havpn. 

f  In  a  central  glory  is  the  nam^  nnrrs  furrounded  with 
white  fpots,  or  a  field  of  azure.  From  each  fpot  afcead 
three  hair-lines,  denoting  the  tendencies  of  mind  to  Deity, 
and  communion'  with  the  Trinity  in  the  divine  light. 
Thefe  fpots  denote  fyftems  of  woilds,  and  tfeeir  tendencies 
to  the  eternal,  central,  yet  omniprefent  light.  The  motto 
is,  All  ha?py  in  God.  Our  world  is  reprefented  by  a. 
clutter  of  minds,  whofe  central  tendencies  are  turned  off 
from  God  to  created  good  ;  yet  in  a  redeemable  ftate. 
Intervening  is  the  crucifixion  of  Chriil  between  two 
thieves,  both   whofe  tendencies  are  going   off,   but  one 

turned  back  to  the  light. At  a  liitle  '^i^ance,  on  the 

left-hand,  is  a  black  fpot,  ^]*<^,  thsTeceptacle  of  fallen  aa* 
U  gels. 


154  THE    LIFE    OF 

BIRTH-DAY     REFLECTION. 

"  O  moft  holy  God  !  how  awful  the  re* 
fle6tion,  that  I  have  been  forty-four  years  a 
(inner  againfl  thee  !  The  review  of  my  life 
aftonifhes  me  with  a  fenfe  of  my  fms.  May 
I  be  wafhed  in  the  blood  of  Jefus,  which 
cleanfeth  from  all  fin,  Purify  and  fandify 
me,  O  blefled  Spirit  !  and  prepare  me  for  a 
fmlefs  ftate,  for  the  enjoyment  of  a  holy  De- 
ity, transfufed  and  difplayed  through  all  the 
works  of  immenfity. 

"  This  year,  a  holy  God  has  fhewn  his 
mercy  and  loving-kindnefs   to  me,   to   my 

family, 

gels,  and  the  finally  wicked.  Of  infinite  myriads  of 
worlds,  (as  we  know  of  two  only  which  have  revolted) 
the  colletftion  of  moral  evil  and  mifery,  in  comparifon  with 
the  moral  perfedion  and  happinefs  of  the  immenfe  uni- 
verfe,  is  but  a  fmall  fpot,  and  as  nothing,  in  proportion  to 
the  whole.  Under  this  minutefimal  exception,  therefore, 
of  the  mifery  of  all  the  fallen  angels,  and  even  moft  of 
the  pofterity  of  Adam,  when  we  confider  the  defcription, 
ColoJJians  i.  l6,  oi  thro7teSydomi?iionS',  principalities  t  aiid  po'vc- 
ers,  innumerable  grand  affemblages  of  Intelligencies,   we 

may  fay.  All   happy  in  God. Such  is  the  Dodor's 

illuftration  of  thefe  emblematic  figures.  If  they  had  their 
origin,  in  part,  in  a  vivid  imagination,  a  common  mind 
would  never  have  devifcd  them.  However  fanciful  they 
may  iappear  to  others,  in  tlie  view  of  the  inventor,  I  am 
■  certain,  they  were  connected  with  fentiments  of  the  Deity, 
and  of  the  divine  government,  in  the  higheft  degree 
elevated  and  fublime. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        155 

family,  and  to  my  church.  It  has  been  to 
me  one  fteady  experience  of  divine  goodnefs. 
My  fpiritual  ftate  is  rather  more  comfortable, 
or,  fhall  I  fay,  lels  diflreffing,  than  heretofore. 
I  hope  I  love  my  Saviour  for  his  divine  ex- 
cellencies, as  well  as  for  his  love  to  fanners  : 
I  glory  in  his  divine  righteoufnefs  ;  and 
earneftly  befeech  the  God  of  all  grace  to 
endue  me  with  true  and  real  holinefs,  and 
make  me  like  himfelf.  I  commit  myfelf 
wholly  to  the  guidance  and  bleffing  of  Him, 
who  guideth  and  bleifeth  the  univerfe. 
Confidering  the  pollution  of  my  heart,  the 
impetuofity  of  my  propenfities,  and  the  lim- 
itation of  my  underftanding,  no  man  more 
needs  to  depart  out  of  himfelf  and  his  own 
vrifdom,  or  rather  folly,  and  be  given  up 
wholly  to  God,  fe eking  the  unerring  guid-* 
ance  of  fupreme  light,  wifdom,  and  love. 
May  my  heart,  my  life,  my  eternity,  be 
dedicated  to  Him.  O  all-wife  and  gracious 
Jehovah!  have  thou  me  under » thy  facred 
influence.  May  my  paflTions,  and  actions, 
and  views,  he  adjufted,  and  regulated,  by  ef- 
ficacious emanations  from  that  Omnifcience> 
which  beholds,  and  eternally  beheld,  what 
would  be  the  holieft,  beft,  and  happieft  con- 
dud 


1^6  THE    LIFE    OT 

4u£t  for  every  fpirit  ;  and  for  the  uninter- 
faring  harmony  of  all  the  countlefs  hofls,  and 
innumerable  myriads  of  holy  beings,  in  the 
common  participation  of  the  perfedt  re^ti-^ 
tude,  holinefs,  and  glory,  of  the  great  Jeho-* 
vah.  It  is  my  earneft  and  humble  defire, 
that  I  may  be  kept  through  faith  unto  falva- 
tion  ;  carried  through  this  dark  and  fmful 
wildernefs,  under  the  guidance  of  that  dU 
vine  light,  which  fhines  in  this  darknefs,  til! 
my  expanding  foul  fhall  at  laft  open  into 
eternal  day.'* 


J,D.   M,DCC,LXXII.— -^TAT.  XLV, 

HE  continued  to  read  daily  a  portion  of 
Hebrew,  both  in  the  Chaldaic  and  Rabbinical 
letters  ;  fcmetimes  the  Bible  ;  fometimes  the 
Jews'  Prayer-book  ;  and  occafionally  exam.- 
ined  paflages  in  the  Targums. 

Having  difcontinued  the  compilation  of 
his  Ecclefiaftical  Hiftory,  for  nearly  three 
years  ;  and,  in  this  interval  of  time,  having 
been  much  employed  in  tranfcribing  me- 
moirs, and  collecting  materials,  he  now  re- 
fumed  the  work,  defigning  its   completion, 

u  if 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         1$^ 

"  if  it  fhould  pleafe  God  to  give  him  health, 
and  time  to  accompliih  it."  Toward  the 
latter  part  of  his  life,  I  afked  him  if  he  did 
not  pui*pofe  to  finifh  this  hiftory.  He  faid 
he  did  not  expe6t  it,  and  added  :  "  I  am  fo 
prone  to  leave  things  unfinifhed,  that  I 
fometimes  fear  I  fhall  leave  the  great  bvifi- 
rjefs  of  life  undone," 

Such  v*rere  his  views  of  political  and  of 
Chriftian  liberty,  that  he  confidered  all  hu- 
man beings,  of  whatever  colour,  tribe,  fe6t, 
or  nation,  as  brethren  of  one  common  fam- 
ily ;  and  all  Chriftians  as  fellow-difciples  of 
the  fame  divine  Mailer.  In  Newport  there 
were  many  African  flaves.  Of  80  commu- 
nicants in  his  church  there  were,  at  this 
time,  7  negroes.  Thefe  occafionally  met, 
by  his  dire6tion,  in  his  ftudy,  where  he  dif- 
courfed  to  them  on  the  great  things  of  the 
divine  life,  and  eternal  falvation  ;  counfel- 
iing  and  encouraging  them,  and  earneftly 
preffing  them  to  make  their  calling  and  elec- 
tion fure,  and  to  w^alk  worthily  of  their  holy 
profeffion.  Then,  falling  on  their  knees 
together,  he  poured  out  fervent  fupplications 
at  the  throne  of  grace,  imploring  the  divine 
blefling  upon  thern,  and  commending  hlm- 

felf 


158  THE     LIFE     OF 

felf  and  them  to  the  Moft  High.  If  the 
learned  and  eminent  apoftle  of  the  Gentiles 
appears  in  the  moft  engaging  attitude,  while 
interceding  with  Philemon,  in  behalf  of  his 
Chriftian  Have  ;  what  can  exhibit  a  more  in- 
terefting  fpedtacle,  than  this  Chriftian  paftor, 
on  his  knees,  furrounded  by  thefe  Africans, 
and  interceding  for  them  with  the  God  of 
heaven  ? 

In  Auguft,  he  wrote  a  letter,  in  Latin^ 
addrefled  to  the  Reverend  Dr.  Bufch,  a  Mo- 
ravian minifter  in  Aftracan,  near  the  Cafpiaa 
Sea  ;  or  to  any  of  the  United  Brethren  trav- 
elling about  Sarepta,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Wolga.  The  objed:  of  his  letter  was,  to 
make  enquiries  concerning  the  Ten  Tribes 
of  the  Jews.  Convinced  by  the  prophecies, 
that  thefe  tribes  would  yet  be  reftored  to 
the  holy  land,  he  believed  that  they  muft  be 
fomewhere  exifting  diftind:ly  among  fome 
nations  of  the  earth,  at  the  prefent  day. 
Under  this  perfuafion,  he  had  thoroughly 
examined  the  hiftories  and  travels  of  the 
whole  world,  for  the  difcovery  of  thefe  long 
loft  reliques  of  the  IlVaelites  ;  but  had  found 
nothing  fatisfa6tory.  Modern  voyages  and 
travels,  he  obferves,  have  laid  open  almoft 

all 


PRESIDENT   STILES.        159 

all  countries,  and  their  inhabitants,  except 
the  interior  and  moft  remote  regions  of 
Alia,  which  lie  between  the  river  Wolga, 
and  the  Sinenfian  empire,  or  from  the  Cas- 
pian Sea  toward  the  eaft,  and  from  India 
toward  the  notth.  That  trad  he  moft  ar- 
dently wifhed  might  be  thoroughly  explor- 
ed ;  for  there,  he  judged,  thefe  tribes  had 
hitherto  lain  concealed,  and  would  hereafter 

be  found.* 

Apprehending 

*  Ille  tra(5lus  ut  accuratlus  perlullraretur  aviJi^IiTfie 
cupio  ;  quippe  ibi  celatas  hafce  Ifraelitarum  phalanges 
degiffe  adhuc,  foreque  Inveniendas  arbitror.  Recent  re- 
fearches  of  the  Aiiatic  Society,  have  already,  iii  part, 
confirmed  his  judgment  ;  and  we  wait,  with  eager  cm-i- 
ofity,  its  more  perfect  confirmationi.  In  that  very  region, 
here  defcribed,  a  nation  has  been  difcovered,  which,  there 
feems  much  reafon  to  believe,  is  a  remnant  of  the  Ten 
Tribes.  A  book,  called  "  The  Secrets  of  the  Afghan}^'* 
written  in  the  Puflito  language,  was.  found  by  Henry 
Vanfittart,  Efqulre,  and  tranflated  in  1784.  It  gives 
fuch  an  account  of  the  origin  and  hiftory  of  that  natron, 
as,  after  deduAions  for  much  Intermingled  fable,  leaves  a 
ftrong  prefumption,  that  its  defcent  is  from  the  Jews. 
To  this  trauflation.  Sir  "William  Jones  afSied  the  fol- 
lowing Note  : 

"  This  account  of  the  Afghatis  may  lead  to  a  very  \rt- 
terefting  difcovery.  We  learn  from  Esdras,  tliat  the 
Ten  Tribes,  after  a  wandering  journey,  came  to  a  coun- 
try, called  Arfareth  ;  where,  we  may  fuppofe,  they  fet- 
tled.      Now,   the  Afghans  are    fiid,  by  the  beft  Perjian 

hiftorians, 


5^0  THE    LIFE    OF 

Apprehending  that  they  might  be  found 
among  fome  of  the  hordes  of  Tartars,  he  fo- 
licits  enquiries  about  the  colour  of  the  bair 
and  beard  of  thefe  people  ;  whether  they  ob- 
ferve  the  rite  of  circumcifion  ;  whether  they 
abflain  from  fwine's  flelh  ;  whether  they 
retain  a  feventh-day  Sabbath  ;  whether  any 
nations  or  hordes  ufe  the  Hebrew  language, 
or  any  Hebrew  dialed:  ;  W^hether  the  names 
of  their  heroes,  cities,  tribes,  are  Hebrew  ; 
whether  there  are  any  traditions  of  their  de- 
fcent  from  the  Kraelitifb  ftock  ;  whether  they 
Kave  books  of  the  Pentateuch,  or  of  other 
Scriptures  ;  if  any,  in  what  language  and 
charad:er  they  are  written  ;  whether  they 
obferve  feftal  and  anniverfary  days,  as,  for 
example,  a  jubilee  j  whether  their  facred 
prayers   and  hymns  are    fo  fnnilar  to  the 

prayers 

tiftoriaris,  to  be  defcended  from  the  Jenui  ;  tliey  have 
traditions  among  themfelves  of  fuch  a  defcent ;  and  it  is 
even  afTerted,  that  their  families  are  diftingui(hed  by  the 
names  of  jfe'wiJJj  Tribes,  although,  iince  their  converfion 
to  the  IJlum,  they  ftudiouily  conceal  tlieir  origin.  The 
Pujloio  language,  of  which  I  have  feen  a  div5tionary,  has  a 
manifeft  refemblance  to  the  Chaldak  ;  and  a  confidcrable 
diftri(5l,  under  their  dominion,  is  called  Hazarek,  or  Haz- 
aret,  which  might  eafily  have  been  changed  into  the  word 
ufed  by  Esdras.  I  ftrongly  recommend  aa  enquiry  into 
the  literature  and  hillory  of  the  Afghans.''^ 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        i6i 

jyrayers  and  hymns  in  the  Jewifh  liturgy,  as 
apparently  to  be  derived  from  the  fame  foun- 
tain ;  whether  any  prophecies  are  circulated, 
of  the  revolutions  of  kingdoms,  of  a  return 
to  the  Holy  Land^  or  Canaan,  of  Meffiah,  or 
of  any  future  and  more  glorious  ftate  of 
their  republic  ;  what  their  ceremonies  about 
marriages,  divorces,  new  moons,  clean  and 
unclean  animals  ;  whether  the  different  tribes 
intermarry  ;  whether  any  veftiges  remain  of 
the  idolatry  inftituted  by  Jeroboam,  or  of  the 
calf,  or  Molech  ;  whether  they  are  averfe 
to  idols  and  images,  or  whether  they  wor- 
fliip  them,  and  with  what  oblations  they 
worfhip  the  Deity,  or  images  ;  from  what 
fountain  their  modern  mythology,  v/hat- 
ever  it  is,  is  apparently  derived  ;  and 
whether  all  the  hordes  obferve  the  fame 
facred  ritual  ? 

Such  are  the  outlines  of  this  literary  epif- 
tle,  which,  in  the  original,  ccnfifts  of  ten 
quarto  pages.  It  elofes  with  the  pious  wifli, 
"  May  God  Almighty  profper,  may  the  be- 
loved Nazarene'  profper,  the  indefatigable 
labours  of  the  brethren,  efpecially  your's,  in 
preaching  the  Gofpel  to  the  Gentiles,  in  re- 
calling the  miferable  fniners  of  the  heathenj 
W  let 


i62  THE    LIFE    OF 

let  me  add,  the  loft  fheep  of  the  hoiife  of 
Ifrael,  to  the  fheepfold  of  the  divine  Jefus."^ 
In  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Macanley,  he  gives 
proof  at  once  of  his  glowing  patriotifm,  and 
of  his  profound  difcernment  of  the  tenden- 
cy of  the  political  meafures  of  the  Britifh 
miniftry.  *'  The  fpirit  of  liberty  naturally 
burns  with  great  fervour  in  American  breafts; 
But  infinite  pains  are  taken,  by  the  v/hole 
connexion  of  crown-ofEcers  of  every  de- 
partment along  the  continent,  to  extinguifb 
the  facred  flame.  Moft  travellers  fall  into* 
this  track,  and  are  led  deluiively  to  think 
that  American  liberty  is  afleep,  except  in  a: 
few  Gazette  ebullitions.  Few  mingle  with 
the  common  people,  Or  with  perfons  uncor- 
fupted  with  minifterial  connexions,  whence 
they  might  fee  that  mighty  tvave  of  liberty 
moving  with  great  force  in  the  collective 
body  ;  though  the  era  is  yet  at  a  diftance, 
tvhen  thofe  events  fhall  arife,  which  wilt 
affuredly  draw  forth  a  burft  of  the  public 

fpirit 

.*  Annuat  Deus  OPT.  MAX.  annuat  Nazarenus 
amandus,  labores  Fratrum  indcfciros,  tuos  prxfertim, 
Gentilibus  evangelizandis,  vel  ad  extremos  fines  terrs 
Jnifcrrimos  Ethnicorum  peccatores,  adde  licet  oves  domus 
Ifraelis  amiflas,  ad  ovile  JESU  divini  revocand(S«  Fva- 
ter  revcvcndc,  Vale. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        163 

fpirit  into  achievements  and  revolutions^ 
aftonifhing  to  the  world  itfelf.  Qn  princir 
pie,  this  fpirit  is  now  reined  in,  upon  a 
diffufed  convi<3:ion  that  this  is  not  the  age  of 
its  maturity  ;  and  further,  that  the  mother- 
country  may  have  full  opportunity  to  recover 
her  wifdom.  Every  ftep  fhe  has  taken,  for 
fome  years  paft,  at  lead  the  general  fyftem 
of  colonial  adminillration,  has  had  as  direct 
a  tendency  to  accekrate  events,  which  fhe 
would  keep  at  a  diflance,  as  if  projedted  witH 

the  deep  laid  policy  of  the  conclave. It 

is  moft  firmly  believed  here,  that  Providence 

intends  a  glorious  empire  in  America. ^^• 

A  people  grov^ing  up  with  this  fervid  love 
of  liberty,  and  with  thefe  indelible  expcdtar 
tions,  will  become  a  phenomenon  in  the 
political  world,  worthy  of  a  very  curious 
attention." 

His  views  of  the  arduous  nature,  and 
folemn  weight,  of  the  minifterial  office,  and 
his  deep  humiliation  in  the  review  of  his 
paftoral  miniftrations,  again  appear  in  the 
following  refleaions  :  "  This  day,  (Oaol^er 
22)  17  years  fince,  I  was  ordained  to  the 
work  of  the  evangelical  miniftry,  and  have, 
by  the  grace  cf  God,  been  carried  thus  far 

through 


i64  THE    LIFE     OF 

through  my  work  ;  but  with  fo  much  im- 
perfedion,  that  I  cannot  think  of  it  but  with 
more  diilrefs  than  pleafure.  The  good  Lord 
pardon  me  hitherto,  and  ftrengthen  me  to 
greater  fidehty.  In  the  feventeen  years  of 
my  miniftry,  I  have  had  under  my  paftoral 
care  about  a  thoufand  fouls,  a  third  of  which 
are  now  in  eternity — without  doubt  many 
of  them  are  in  mifery.  I  have  reafon  to 
fear  that  fome  have  perifhed  through  my 
negledt.  And  yet  I  would  humbly  hope 
that  I  have  warned  all — taught  them  the  evil 
and  danger  of  fm  ;  and  prefented  the  way  of 
falvation  by  a  bleeding  Saviour  :  though  I 
might  have  inculcated  thefe  things  with 
greater  frequency,  zeal,  and  affiduity.  Oh  ! 
how  great  the  work,  how  folemn  and  awful 
the  account  for  the  blood  of  fouls  !  Onus 
humeris   angelicis  form'idandumr    [A   work 

formidable  to  angelic  ftrength.] — If  a 

paftor  of  his  fidelity  found  caufe  for  fuch 
penitential  excrcifes,  what  reafon  have  moft 
of  us,  who  are  entrufted  with  the  care  of 
fouls,  to  lament  our  unfaithfulnefs  !  And 
how  ought  his  example  to  teach  us  the  im- 
portant leiTon  of  humility  !  After  him,  we 
need  not  blufh  to  acknowledge,  that  we  are 

unprofitable 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         165 

unprofitable  fervants.  The  recolle<5tion  of 
pall  neglects,  while  it  awakened  emotions  of 
forrow,  infpired  him  with  new  ardour  in  the 
fervice  of  Chrift,  and  incited  him  to  higher 
degrees  of  acSliivity  in  his  facred  work.  May 
a  retrofpe£tive  view  of  our  miniftrations, 
influence  us  to  go  and  do  likewi/e  ! 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION, 

*^  MY  whole  life  is  filled  up  with,  the  ex- 
perience of  the  divine  care  and  beneficence. 
The  year  paft  has  been  a  feries  of  inutility 
and  fm  on  my  part,  and  of  grace  and  mercy 
on  the  part  of  God.  I  am  more  and  more 
convinced  of  the  vanity  of  this  troublefome 
world,  and  of  the  glorious  all-fufi[iciency  of 

God. This   year  has  been  filled  with  a 

fucceffion  of  anxiety  and  diftrefs,  divine  de- 
liverance and  prefervations.*  I  commend 
myfelf  to  the  grace  of  God.  May  my  heart, 
my  life,  my  eternity,  be  dedicated  to  Him  !'* 

J.  D, 

*  Alluciing  to  a  dangerous  ficknefs  and  recovery  of 
his  wife  ;  to  the  reitoration  of  his  cliildren  from  the  mea- 
fies  ;  to  the  prefervation  of  his  family  from  the  fmall- 
pox,  which  prevailed  in  town  ;  and  to  a  ferious  and  aifecl- 
jng  paRoral  trial,  the  occafion  of  which  will  appear  in  the 
next  Birth-day  Reflexion. 


i66  THE    LIFE    OF 

J.  D,  M,DGC,LXXIII.— iExAT.  XLVL 

THOUGH  a  loyal  fubjed  to  the  Britilh 
king,  he  confidered  allegiance  and  protection 
reciprocally  binding  ;  and  at  the  very  point 
where  oppreffion  began,  he  deemed  refift- 
ance  juftifiable.  The  enterprizing  citizens 
of  Providence  having  burned  the  Gafpee,  a 
Britilh  armed  fchooner,  the  CommifTioners, 
appointed  by  the  Crown,  commenced  the 
trial  at  Newport,  January  5th,  and  on  the 
2 2d  adjourned  till  May.  In  a  letter  to  the 
Reverend  Mr.  Spencer,  of  Trenton,  in  New- 
Jerfey,  who  had  written  to  the  Do6tor,  and 
folicited  an  account  of  the  tranfadtions  of 
thefe  commiffioners,  he  replies,  he  is  "  glad 
to  find  that  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  in  the  other 
Colonies,  felt  the  attack  upon  us,  which  is 
equally  a  ilroke  at  univerfal  American  lib- 
erty." Having  given  an  accurate  detail  of 
every  occurrence  relating  to  the  fubjeQ,  he 
adds  :  "  I  am  a  friend  to  American  liberty ; 
of  the  final  prevalence  of  which  I  have  not 
the  leaft  doubt,  though  by  what  means,  ^nd 
in  what  ways,  God  only  knows.  But  I 
have  perfect  confidence,  that  the  future  mil- 
lions of  America  will  emancipate  themfelves 

from 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        i6i 

FroTti  foreign  opprefiion;  I  am  a  feeling 
fpedtator,  indeed,  of  events,  but  mean  not 
too  deeply  to  enter  into  politics.  We  have 
another  department,  being  called  to  a  v/ork, 
which  may  be  fuccefsfully  purliied^  (for  it 
has  been  purfued)  under  every  fpecies  of 
civil  tyranny,  or  liberty.  We  cannot  be- 
come the  dupes  of  politicians,  without  alli- 
ances^ conceffions,  and  connexions^  danger- 
ous to  evangelical  truth,  and  fpiritual  free- 
dom.'* 

He  remarks,  on  the  Commlffion  for  the 
trial  of  the  affair  of  the  Gafpee,  that,  "  not-^ 
withftanding  all  palliations,"  it  was  "  arbi-* 
trary,  juftly  obnoxious,  and  planning  ;  as  it 
not  only  meditated,  but  diredlly  provided  for 
feizing  and  fending  home  perfons  to  London, 
Nothing  looks  like  bringing  the  trial  before 
our  Superior  Court  j  it  was  to  have  been  in 
England,  The  Commiffion  gave  a;n  exten- 
five  alarm  to  all  the  AfTemblies  on  the  Conti- 
nent, and  occafioned  the  Refolutions  and 
Meafures,  propofed  by  the  Virginia  Aflem- 
bly,  in  March  laft,  which  are  now  circulat- 
ing, and  will  undoubtedly  become  univerfal, 
namely,  forming  Affembly  Committees  of 
Correfpondence,  and  enjoining  a  particular 

enquiry 


168  THE    LIFE    OF 

enquiry  into  the  powers  of  this  Court  of 
Commiffionersj  at  Rhode-Illand."  He  adds, 
in  the  true  fpirit  of  political  prophecy,  as 
the  event  afterwards  ftiewed  :  "  These  As- 
sembly Committees  will  finally 
terminate  in  a  general  congress, 
than  which  nothing  can  be  more  alarming 
to  the  miniftry." 

It  was  probably  about  this  time,  that  lie 
wrote  the  letter,  referred  to  in  the  following 
paragraph  of  a  letter  to  him,  from  Dr.  Price,- 
written  after  the  clofe  of  the  war :  "  You 
favoured  me  with  a  letter  juft  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  late  war ;  and,  I  believe,  I  an- 
fwered  it ;  but  probably  my  anfwer  never 
came  to  your  hands.  This  letter  I  have 
thought  very  remarkable.  You  have  pre- 
dicted in  it  the  very  events  in  which  the 
war  has  ifTued ;  particularly  the  converfion 
of  the  colonies  into  fo  many  diftindl  and 
independent  States  united  under  Congrefs." 

He  now  commenced  an  acquaintance  with 
Haijm  Ifaac  Carigal,  a  Jew  Rabbi,  who  had 
lately  come  to  Newport.  Having  travelled 
Very  extenfively  in  the  eaftern  world,  and 
being  a  man  of  obfervation,  learning,  and 
intelligence ;    his   converfation    was  highly 

entertaining 


PRESIDENT   STILES.        169 

entertaining  and  inflrudive.  He  was  born 
at  Hebron,  and  educated  there  and  at  Jeru- 
falem.*  He  had  travelled  all  over  the  Holy 
Land,  and  had  vifited  Damafcus,  Aleppo, 
Grand  Cairo,  Bagdat,  Ifpahan,  Smyrna, 
Conftantinople,  Salonica,  Rome,  Florence, 
Bologna,  Venice,  Vienna,  Prague,  Paris, 
London.  The  Dodtor  was  greatly  delight- 
ed with  his  fociety,  and  had  frequent  inter- 
views with  him,  for  the  purpofe  of  acquir- 
ing the  pronunciation  of  the  Hebrew  ;  of 
afcertaining  the  meaning  of  ambiguous  ex- 
preflions,  in  the  original  of  the  Old  Tefta- 
ment ;  of  learning  the  ufages  of  the  mod- 
ern Jews  ;  of  converfmg  on  pafl  events  re- 
lating to  this  extraordinary  nation,  as  re- 
corded in  facred  hiftory  ;  and  of  tracing  its 
future  deftiny,  by  the  light  of  prophecy. 
They  cultivated  a  mutual  friendfhip,  while 
together,  and  correfponded  in  Hebrew,  when 
apart.  One  of  the  Doctor's  Hebrew  letters, 
X  '  on 

*  Luzzatl,  an  Italian  Rabbi,  Informs  us,  that  the  Jews, 
by  large  contributions,  maintain  Academies  at  Jerufalem  : 
"  In  terra  fanta,  et  in  particolare  Hierufalcm  vi  capita 
annualmente  non  folamente  numero  sfrande  d'  Hebrei  di 
tutte  le  Nationi  del  mondo ;  ma  ancora  grofiifflma  quan- 
tita  de  rcnditi  anr.uall,  che  li  vien  offerto,  per  raautener 
pov«ri,  e  foftentare  Academic." 


ijo  THE    LIFE    OF 

on  the  divinity  of  the  Meffiah,  and  the  glory 
of  his  kingdom,  confifted  of  2  2  quarto  pages. 

The  Rahbi,  not  long  after  his  arrival,  at- 
tended his  worfhip,  by  agreement,  and  heard 
him  difcourfe,  in  an  affectionate  manner,  on 
the  paft  difpenfations  of  God's  providence 
toward  his  chofen  people  ;  on  his  promifed 
defign  of  rendering  them  an  exalted  nation, 
in  the  latter  day  glory  of  the  Mefliah's 
kingdom  ;  and  on  the  duty  of  Chriftians, 
and  of  all  nations,  to  defire  a  participation  in 
their  future  glorious  ftate.*  The  Rabbi  had 
never  heard  a  Chriftian  preach  a  fermon  be- 
fore^ Though  he  had  attended  church  at 
St.  Peter's,  in  Rome  ;  at  St.  Paul's,  in  Lon- 
don ;  at  Venice,  and  various  other  places  \ 
and  had  been  at  the  Chriftian  churches  in 
Jerufalem,  he  never  heard  any  fervice,  ex- 
cepting prayers. 

So  catholic  was  the  intercourfe  between 
this  learned  Jew,^  and  learned  Chriftian  ! 
They  often  fpent  hours  together  in  conver- 
fation  ;  and  the  information,  which  the  ex- 
tenfive  travels  of  the  Jew  enabled  him  to 
give,  efpecially  concerning  the  Holy  Land, 
was  a  rich  entertainment  to  his  Chriftian 

friend. 

*  Text,  Pfalm  cvi.  4,  5.  * 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       171 

friend.  The  civilities  of  the  Rabbi  were 
more  than  repaid.  The  Dodor  very  fre- 
quently attended  the  worfhip  of  the  fyna- 
gogue,  at  Newport,  not  only  while  Rabbi 
Carigal  officiated,  but  at  the  ordinary  fervice, 
before  his  arrival,  and  after  his  departure. 

With  fix  other  Rabbles,  of  lefs  eminence, 
he  became  acquainted,  and  fhewed  them  ev^ 
ery  civility  ;  while  he  maintained  a  friendly 
communication  with  the  Jews  in  general,  at 
Newport.  Such  rare  and  unexpected  atten^ 
tions,  from  a  Chriflian  minifter  of  diftinc- 
tion,  could  not  but  afford  peculiar  gratifi- 
cation to  a  people,  confcious  of  being  a 
*'  proverb  and  a  by-word  among  all  nations," 
To  him  they,  accordingly,  paid  every  atten-^- 
tion,  in  return  ;  and  exprelfed  a  peculiar 
pleafure,  in  admitting  him  into  their  fami- 
lies, and  into  their  fynagogue. 

His  civilities  and  catholicifm,  toward  the 
Jews,  are  worthy  of  imitation.  It  is  to  be 
feared,  that  Chriftians  do  not,  what  ought 
to  be  done,  toward  the  converfion  of  this 
devoted  people.  While  admitted  into  moft 
countries  in  Chriftendom,  for  the  purpofes 
of  trade  and  commerce,  inflead  of  being 
treated  with  that  humanity  and  tendernefsj 

whici^ 


172  THE    LIFE    OF 

which  Chriftianity  Ihould  infpire,  they  are 
often  perfecuted,  or  contemned  as  unworthy 
of  notice  or  regard.  Such  treatment  tends 
to  prejudice  them  againft  our  holy  religion, 
and  to  eftabhfh  them  in  their  infidelity. 
Befides  this  "  the  ftudy  of  the  Hebrew  lan- 
guage hath  been  too  much  laid  afide,  and 
we  have,  by  that  means,  been  lefs  able  to 
convince  the  Jews.  It  is  certain  that  this 
ftudy  hath  not  only  been  neglected,  but 
ridiculed  ;  whereas  nothing  could  be  of 
greater  u'fe  to  us  than  a  great  fkill,  not  only 
in  the  Biblical  Hebrew,  but  the  Rabbinical 
and  Talmudical  alfo,  to  enable  us  to  con- 
vince the  Jews.  By  fuch  a  ikill  we  might 
be  enabled  to  ufe  their  own  weapons  againfl 
them  ;  and  to  difpute  againft  them  from  the 
avowed  principles  of  their  ancient  wife  men, 
for  whom  they  are  prone  to  exprefs  a  pro-- 
found  regard."*  Such  was  the  ufe  which 
the  Do<Slor  made  of  his  Hebrew  learning. 

On  the  anniverfary  faft  for  the  deftrudlion 
of  the  Temple,  July  29,  the  Doctor  attended 
the  fervice  of  the  Synagogue.     It  began  ai 

feven 

*  Kidder's  Demonftration  of  the  Meflias,  in  that  very 
valuable  Colledion  of  Sermons  in  defence  of  Natural  and 
Jlevcaled  Religion,  preached  at  Boyle's  Lcdur^. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        173 

feven  in  the  morning,  and  continued  till 
twelve.  "  The  place  of  the  ark  was  covered 
with  a  black  curtain,  and  the  lamp  was  put 
out.  A  table,  covered  with  black,  ftood  be- 
fore the  Tabauh  ;*  and  on  a  low  bench  fat 
the  Parnafs  and  Huzzan.  The  prayers  were 
exceedingly  melancholy,  particularly  when 
the  Huzzan  rofe  up,  and  went  to  the  place 
of  the  holy  of  holies,  or  the  ark  and  mercy- 
feat  ;  where  he  wrapped  himfelf  up  in  the 
black  curtain,  and  flowly  mourned  out  a  moft 
folemn,  weeping,  and  doleful  lamentation, 
for  the  abfence  of  the  Debir  and  Shechinah, 
for  the  cefTation  of  the  oracle,  and  for  the 
deftrudiion  of  the  holy  of  holies.  The  roll 
of  the  law  was  brought  out,  without  any 
ceremony,  covered  in  black,  and  read  at 
the  foot  of  the  Tabauh  ;  the  portion  was 
from  Deuteronomy.  Then  the  fourth 
chapter  of  Jeremiah  was  read,  and  three 
or  four  other  chapters  ;  then  the  book  of 
Lam^entations  ;  then  the  beginning  and  end 
of  Job."t 

BIRTH- 

*  A  table  on  which  the  Law  vas  placed,  in  tlie  fiatcd 
fen'ice  of  the  Synagogue. 


Literary  Diary. 


174  r'HE    LIFE    OF 

BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION* 

"  THIS  day  I  am  forty-fix  years  old.  How 
little  have  I  done  for  God  !  My  life  has 
been  filled  up  with  the  experience  of  his 
goodnefs.  May  I  be  more  and  more  devot-» 
ed  to  himj  who  is  the  length  of  my  days, 
and  the  foundation  of  all  my  hopes  !  To  the 
energies  and  protedion  of  his  grace  would  I 
commend  myfelf.  As  I  draw  nearer  and 
nearer  to  that  eternal  world,  which  is  moft 
aflhredly  before  me,  may  I  increafe  in  the 
iove  of  God,  and  be  ripened  for  eternal  glory  I 

The  laft  year  has   been  a  year  of 

fmgular  trials.  I  had  much  ficknefs  in  my 
family,  though  God  biefTed  me  with  a  com« 
fortable  ilate  of  health,  for  one  naturally  of 
a  {lender  habit,  and  liable  to  frequent  in« 
firmities. 

"  From  my  fettlement  in  the  miniftry,  to 
the  autumn  of  1772,  there  fubfifted  the 
greateil  love  and  harmony  between  me  and 
my  congregation.  Being  abfent  on  a  jour- 
ney, at  that  time,  a  foreigner,  who  came  to 
Nev/port  in  the  character  of  a  minifter,  was 
invited  to  preach,  on  Lord's  day,  in  my  pul« 
pit.     He  preached  to  great  acceptance,  and 

put 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         17^ 

put  the  congregation  into  a  tumult.  On  my 
return,  finding  his  character  doubtful,  as  well 
as  his  do(!trine  heretical  and  dangerous,  I 
gently  difcountenanced  him,  which  gave  my 
people  great  offence.  I  faid,  however,  but 
little  ;  and  the  tumultuous  fpirit  fubfided  : 
but  his  return,  in  October  laft,  revived  it. 
I  now  thought  myfelf  obliged,  as  a  faiihful 
ihepherd,  to  warn  my  flock,  and  oppofe  him 
openly.  God  only  knows  what  will  be  the 
event — ^to  his  holy  providence  I  defire  to 
fubmit.  I  had  thought,  when  I  entered  on 
the  miniilry,  that  a  minifter,  with  prudence 
and  condeicenfion,  could  fecure  the  affections 
of  his  people  ;  and  that  moil:  of  the  differ-- 
cnces  of  miniders  with  their  focieties  origlR- 
ated  from  their  own  rafhnefs  and  impru- 
dence. I  accordingly  ftudied  the  things  of 
peace  ;  and  thought  my  mountain  ffrong,  in 
the  affections  of  my  people.  But  I  am  con- 
vinced that  God  hath  holy  ends  in  letting 
loofe  adverfarles,  the  diflurbers  of  Zion's 
peace.  This  event  fet  me  to  examine  the 
procuring  caufe  ;  and  I  could  not  recolledt 
any  material  imprudence  in  my  own  con- 
duf^  ;  nor,  indeed,  was  it  charged  upon  me. 
Had  I,  by  my  preaching,  infufed  fuch  fenti- 

ments 


376       th£  life  of 

ments  Into  my  flock)  as  to  prepare  their 
minds  for  tnls  new  dodtrine  ?  I  could  not 
fee  it.  Upon  a  thorough  fearch  of  myfelf, 
though  I  liave  reafon  to  lament  human  frail- 
ties, yet  I  could  not  fee  that  I  had  materially 
erred  in  preaching  the  gofpel.  However,  I 
know  it  is  juil  with  God,  to  vifit  for  daily 
tranfgreflions,  in  his  -own  time  and  way. 
On  the  whole,  I  rather  confider  it  as  a  trial 
of  me,  and  my  flock,  that  we  may  fee  how 
our  principles  will  abide  5  and  to  convince 
us  how  eafily  we  may  be  deceived,  and 
thrown  into  confufion  by  the  craft  of  man  ; 
and  that  I  may  fee  how  far  I  am  actuated  by 
a  love  to  Chrift,  and  his  caufe  ;  whether  any 
of  it  remains,  when  the  flock's  affedion  to 
me  is  gone  ;  and  whether  the  honour  of 
Chrifl:,  or  my  own,  moil  afFe<£l:s  me.  It  is  a 
dark  day  with  me  ;  a  day  full  of  fears  and 
difcouragcments,  when  the  love  of  many 
waxes  cold.  I  commit  myfelf,  and  my 
flock,  to  God  ;  and  dehre  to  walk  humbly, 
yet  tefliify  the  truth  undauntedly  ;  truft: 
events  to  Heaven  ;  and  drink  the  cup 
which  my  heavenly  Father  appoints  me  to 
drink.  I  defire  to  wait  for  his  falvation.  I 
have  no  more  any  dependence  on  my  own 

prudence. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       177 

|)rudence,  or  on  the  (lability  of  the  aiFedions 
of  man.     But  rely  alone  on  God." 


^.  D.  M,DCC,LXXIV.— ^TAT.  XLVIL 

ON  the  1 6th  of  Januaiy,  he  was  fo  ill  as 
to  be  unable  to  perform  the  fervices  of  the 
fandiuary.  Excepting  this  inftance,  he  could 
not  remember  that  he  had  been  detained 
from  public  v/orlhip  but  one  Lord'' s  Day 
fmce  his  fettlement  in  the  miniftr)'-.  There 
is  reafon  to  believe,  that  too  clofe  a  confine- 
ment, and  an  intenfe  degree  of  application  to 
his  ftudies,  contributed  to  this  illnefs  ;  for  it 
appeal's  by  his  Diary,  that,  on  the  day  pre- 
ceding his  feizure,  he  was  in  his  itudy 
twelve  hours. 

The  30th  day  of  June  was  obferved, 
through  the  Colony  of  Rhode  Illand,  as  a 
day  of  public  Fafting  and  Prayer,  on  account 
of  the  threatening  afpe£t  of  public  affairs, 
the  ad:s  of  Parliament  refpediing  America, 
and  particularly  the  blocking  up  of  the  port 
of  Bofton.  On  thi«  occafion  he  preached* 
Y  to 

*  Text,  EJlher  iv,  3.    And  in  every  Province^  nuhitherfoezier 
the  King'i  ccnimaitdvient  aiid  his-  decree  ca?ne,  there  nvas  great 

mourning 


f78  THE    LIFE    OF 

to  a  very  crowded  aflembly  of  all  denom- 
mations. 

What  were  his  views  of  the  meafures  of 
the  Britifh  miniftry ;  of  the  great  queftion 
now  agitated  refpeding  the  taxation  of  the 
Colonies  j  and  of  the  termination  of  the  dif- 
pute  ;  appears  in  a  letter,  July  15,  to  the 
Reverend  Dr,  Rodgers,  of  New- York :  "  We 
have  lived  to  fee  and  feel  heavier  oppreffions 
than  our  fore-fathers  ever  felt  in  America. 
Heretofore  we  had  a  King  only  to  ftruggle 
with-^— now,  the  united  force  of  the  Parlia-i 
ment,  army,  and  navy.-  May  the  God  of 
our  pious  anceflors  deliver  us  !  De  Repitb- 
lica  non  eft  defperandum.  We-  are  not  dif^ 
heartened  :  Inftead  of  deprejffion,  the  fpirit 
rifes  'y  the  flame  burns  with  purity  through 
the    Continent,    from    New-Hampfhire   to 

Georgia,  except;  perhap>s  in  « ,  where 

I  think  the  caufe  labours*  There  will  be 
great  wifdom  at  the  Congrefs  ;  great,  indeed^ 
if  it  fhall  have  the  prefence  of  the  fupreme 
Monarch  of  the  univerfe*  Let  the  eyes  of 
all  the  millions  of  America  be  direiSted  to 
Him,,  from  whom  alone  cometh  our  help. 

The 

vwum'ing  amotig  the  jfe'ws,  and  fajling,  and  weepings  and 
*waili?igt  fifiii  771  any  lay  infackcloih  and  ajhes> 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        179 

The  whole  of  the  prefent  fyftem  of  Parlia- 
mentary domination,  ftands  on  the  fingle 
queftion  of  Taxation  ivithout  Keprefentation^ 
This  is  too  great  a  queftion  for  the  future 
millions  of  America  ever  to  fuffer  to  be 
finally  determined  in  the  affirmative." 

In  a  letter,  July  30,  to  Mrs.  Macauley,  he 
obferves,  with  deep  political  difcernment  : 
"The  laft  and  recent  ftroke  of  the  Parlia- 
ment at  our  liberties,  has  aftonifhed  America 
into  a  real  and  efficacious  union,  which  it  is 
beyond  the  power  of  Europe  to  diflblvc. 
We  know  that  the  affiimed  parliamentary 
right  of  taxing  and  governing  unreprefented 
millions,  and  the  whole  fyftem  of  domination 
founded  on  that  claim,  are  repugnant  to  all 
the  principles  of  the  Jus  Civile^  and  law  of 
nature,  and  nations,  and  that  Saxon  genius 
of  liberty  and  law,  which  Englifh  America 
inherits  from  the  Parent  State,  and  muft  and 
will,  fooner  or  later,  be  given  up.  Not  a 
politician  in  Europe,  not  even  a  fmgle  man 
in  America,  believes  that  the  increafmg  miU 
lions  of  this  continent  will  always  fubmit  to 
defpotifm.  There  are  many  means  of  re^ 
drefs.  We  fhall  not  be  difcouraged,  if  ali 
prove  unfuccefsful,  till  we  come  to  the  laft, 

the? 


i8o  THE    LIFE    OF 

the  fuccefs  of  which  is  indubitable.  We 
ihall  continue  our  (at  prefent,)  ufelefs  and 
xepulfed  fupplications  to  our  King  ;  re-r 
membering  that  the  hearts  of  princes  are 
in  the  hand  of  the  Moft  High,  and  that 
He  turneth  them  'whitherfoever  He  will.  But 
if  oppreiTion  proceeds,  defpotifm  may  force 
an  annual  Congrefs  ;  and  a  public  fpirit  of 
cnterprize  may  originate  an  American  Mag?ia 
Chartay  and  Bill  of  Rights,  fupported  with 
fuch  intrepid  and  perfevering  importunity, 
as  even  fovereignty  may,  hereafter^  judge  it 
not  wife  to  withftand.  There  will  be  ^ 
RuNEMEDE  in  Anierica." 

He  now  employed  much  of  his  time  in 
reading  the  Targum  of  Onkelos  and  Jona- 
than, in  Chaldee  ;  the  Syriac  New  Tefia* 
ment  ;  and  the  Zohar  ;  and  judged  that  he 
gained  great  lights  in  divinity  by  thefe  helps. 
This  Chaldee  Targum,  he  found,  by  com-^ 
parifon,  was  tranflated  from  the  Hebrew 
copy  of  the  Bible,  afterwards  adopted  by  the 
JVIaforets,  and  not  from  that  which  the  LX}^ 
ufed  :  "  Becaufe,"  fays  he,  "  I  find  that  the 
patriarchal  ages  are  exactly  the  fame  in  the 
Targum,  as  in  the  Hebrew,  but  different  lA 
the  LXX." 

*'  After 


PRESIDENT   STILES.       i8i 

*'  After  the  return  from  Babylon,  the  Tar- 
gums,  or  Tranflations,  were,  as  far  as  I  can 
learn,  extemporaneous  for  two  centuries,  at 
lead  while  the  Chaldee  dialect  remained. 
The  tranflation  into  the  Chaldee  Targura 
continued  after  the  dialect  became  Syriac. 
Being  difficult  to  be  made  by  every  Huzzan, 
or  reader,  Jonathan  and  Onkelos^  two  learn- 
ed Rabbles,  about  the  coming  of  Chrift,  com- 
mitted the  Chaldee  Targum  to  writing,  which 
has  continued  with  the  Jews  ever  fmce."* 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

"HAVING  obtained  help  of  God,  I  con- 
tinue to  this  day.  The  year  paft  I  have  had 
clearer  views  of  the  wonderful  condefcenfion 
of  the  Lamb  of  God,  in  his  incarnation,  and 
in  the  aflumption  of  a  human  foul,  our  holy- 
brother,  into  union  with  the  uncreated,  eter- 
nal Word,  the  fecond  perfon  of  the  adorable 

Trinity,     A  moft  venerable  my  fiery  ! 

The  ftate  of  my  flock  is  more  compofed  and 

CGimfortable. — 1  have  entered  my  fon 

Ezra  into  Yale  College.      May  the  bleffing 
of  God  be  upon  him,  and  upon  all  my  chil- 
dren ! 

*  Prefident  Stiles'  MS. 


582  THE     LIFE    OF 

drcn  !  I  perceive  fome  promifing  and  amla.^ 
ble  things,  bleffed  be  God,  in  them  all.  May 
they  follow  on,  to  feek  and  know  the  Lord  ! 
— - — ■ — It  is  a  gloomy  day,  as  to  Ameri- 
can liberty.  The  blocking  up  of  the  port 
of  Bofton  ;  the  abolition  of  the  Maffachu- 
fetts  charter  ;  and  the  Quebec  a£t,  are  alarm- 
ing. The  Congrefs,  and  the  fpirit  of  liberty 
in  the  body  of  the  people,  are  encouraging. 
I  rely  on  Jefus  only,  for  the  protedlion  of 
his  caufe,  and  of  me,  his  moft  unworthy 
difciple. 

"  I  have,  this  day,  been  revjewiug  the  feries 
of  the  divine  goodnefs  to  me,  ever  fmce  my 
birth.  How  gracioufly  hath  my  heavenly 
Father  dealt  with  me  !  Blefs  the  Lord,  O 
my  foul  !  and  forget  not  all  his  benefits. 
God  hath  fo  ordered,  that  I  have  fpent  my 
life,  from  my  earlieft  youth,  among  books  ; 
but  the  moft  valuable  knowledge  which  I 
have  obtained,  is  not  the  mathematical  and 
philofophical  fciences  ;  not  the  ancient  learn- 
ed languages  ;  not  ecclefiaftical  hiftory,  and 
the  hiftory  of  nations  and  empires  ;  not  the 
knowledge  of  law,  and  the  political  conftitu- 
tions  of  Europe  : — but  that,  in  which  I  have 
found  the  greateft  entertainment  and  fatisfac- 

tion. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        1S3 

tion,  is,  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  ChrisTj 
and  the  redemption  of  the  crofs.  The  facred 
oracles  open  the  moft  wonderful  difcoveries, . 
and  enlarged  views,  of  the  auguft  councils  of 
infinite  Wifdom  and  Grace.  Through  the 
blood  of  the  crofs,  Jefus  has  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  our  reconciliation,  and  union  alio,  to 
the  Divinity.  Gloriotfs  falvation  this  !  God 
manifeil  in  the  flefh,  feen  of  angels,  taken  up 
to  glory.  Of  the  blefled  Jefus  I  am  an  un- 
worthy minifler.  O  that  I  could  ferve  him 
equal  to  his  defer-ts  from  man  !  But,  alas  ! 
what  little  fervour  have  I,  in  the  fei*vice  of 
fo  glorious  a  Mafter  !  When  I  review  my 
miniftry,  it  has  been  fo  poor  and  mean,  fo 
felfifh,  fo  unfaithful,  fo  little  animated  with 
the  fpirit  and  great  caufe  of  Chrift,  fo  filled 
with  negkdt,  ill  condudt,  and  iniperfed:ion, 
that  I  blulh  to  think  of  a  reward  from  a 
Mafter,  tp  whom  I  owe  my  all  ;  and  can 
think  of  nothing  but  of  going  to  receive  (if 
I  can  efcape  rebuke)  mercy  and  forgivenefs 
only,  if  poflible,  for  doing  his  work  fo  poor- 
ly. The  good  Lord  pardon  me  for  Jefu& 
fake  ;  and  lay  not  iniquit)'  to  my  charge. 
O  that  r  may  be  quickened  by  his  grace,  and 
enlivened  in  fo  glorious  a  work,  as  teftifying 

the 


i84  THE    LIFE    OF 

the  grace  of  God  to  a  finful  world,  the  re- 
maining  moments  of  my  Ufe  I  I  rejoice 
that  God  fo  ordered  it  in  his  proridencCj 
that  I  was  pul  into  the  minlftry  :  I  delight 
in  the  fervice — biit  fliudder  at  the  thoughts 
of  the  reckoning.  This  accounting  for  the 
blood  of  fouls,  laid  to  the  charge  of  ah  un- 
gracious, an  unfaithful  miniftry,  is  awful 
and  tremendous.  In  the  view  of  this,  O 
Jefus  !  I  fly  to  thy  holy  facrifice,  thy  all- 
atoning  blood.  May  I  be  refolved,  more 
and  fnore,  to  ftaild  in  the  lot  affigned,  not  in 
my  own  weaknefs,  but  in  the  ftrength  of  thy 
grace,  without*  Which  I  am,  and  fhall  bcj 
tiothingi  Direct  my  miniftrations,  and  give 
efficacy  to  them  5  that,  teftifying  repentance 
toward  God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jefus 
Chrift,  I  may  perfuade  at  leaft  fome  few  of 
this  world  of  millions  of  rebels  to  be  recon-- 
ciled  to  God." 


A.D.   M,DCC,LXXV.— ^TAT.  XLVIIL 

HAVING  perufed  the  Britifli  king's 
fpeech,  at  the  opening  of  parliament,  No- 
vember 30,  1774,  in  which  he  expreffes  his 

"firm 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       185 

*'  firm  and  ftedfaft  refolution  to  withftand 
every  attempt  to  weaken  or  impair  the  fu- 
preme  authority  of  the  legiflature  over  all 
the  dominions  of  his  crown  ;"  the  Doctor 
remarks  :  "  Upon  this,  the  fpirit  of  the  peo- 
ple, inftead  of  being  damped,  rifes  into  de- 
terminate refolution  for  refiftance  and  the 
laft  appeal"  Events  foon  proved  the  truth 
of  his  prediction. 

"  The  Britifh  rriiniftry,"  he  foon  after  ob- 
ferved,  "  do  not  choofe  to  confider  the  Con-; 
grefs  as  legal,  and  v^ould  afFe6t  to  have  it, 
that  none  of  the  parliamentary  tranfaClions, 
in  the  prefent  grand  confiiCl,  fhpuld  be  influ- 
enced by  the  meafures  and  applieaticns  of 
the  Continental  Congrefs,  which  ftands  upoa 
an  origination  from  the  people,  which  cour- 
tiers and  tories  would  declare  illegal  and  re- 
bellious.-— - — —^ — But  the  king  muft  know, 
the  Britifh  parliament  muft  know,  for  the 
world  will  know,  that  the  American  Conti- 
nental Congrefs,  of  September  laft,  was  a 
regular,  legal,  patriotic  body,  w^lierein  two 
millions  were  as  juftly  and  truly  reprefented, 
as  ever  any  body  of  mankind  were  before  ; 
and  that  the  mode  of  their  eleClion,  by  a 
patriotic,  fpontaneous  origination  from  the 
Z  people, 


xS6  THE    LIFE    OF 

people,  is  defenfible  on  the  firft  principles  of 
fociety,  and  the  Engllfh  Conftitutlon  ;  and 
juftifiable,  and  glorious,  on  the  principles  of 
the  law  of  nature  and  nations,  and  the  fined 
reafonings  of  the  Jus  Civile,  It  is,  moreo- 
ver, exemplary.  It  holds  up>  light  to  Eng- 
land, to  Europe,  to  the  world  ;  to  fhew  to 
all  the  enflaved  empires  around  the  globe, 
HOW  they  may  put  their  lives  in  their  hands, 
and,  from  orderly  and  regular  congrefles  for 
petitions  to  tyrants,  the  higher  powers,  rife 
into  a  fyftem  of  irrefiftible  vindication  and 
liberty*" 

On  the  1 7th  of  March,  Governor  Wanton; 
teceived  a  letter  from  Lord  Dartmouth,  Sec- 
retary of  State,  dated  January  4,  addrefled  ta 
himfelf  and  the  Rhode-Ifland  Colony,  in 
which  he  calls  the  Continental  Congrefs  an 
illegal  aflembly  ;  and,  by  the  king's  order, 
enjoins  it  on  the  Governor,  to  prevent  tha 
Affembly  from  electing  delegates  to  the  next 
CongrefSy  and  to  prevent  their  attendance,  if 
eled:ed.  "  Hereby,"  the  IDodlor  obferves, 
*'  the  King  difgufls  above  two  million  fub- 
jedls,  who  will,  as  one  body,  pay  no  regard 
to  any  fuch  prohibition." 

By 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        1S7 

By  a  memoir,  May  1 8,  it  appears,  that  his 
daily  manner  was,  firft,  in  the  morning,  to 
offei"  fecret  prayer  to  God  ;  then,  calling  his 
family  together,  to  read  a  chapter  of  the  Bi- 
ble, in  courfe,  and  perform  family  prayer  ; 
then  to  read  by  himfelf,  one  to  three  or  four 
chapters  in  conrfe,  with  frequent  references 
to  the  original  Hebrew  and  Greek,  and  to 
the  commentators,  ancient  and  modern  ;  that, 
lately,  he  had  made  much  ufe  of  the  Zohar, 
in  which,  with  the  Syriac,  he  now  daily  read 
a  portion.  At  ten,  or  eleven,  he  walked 
abroad,  and  vifited  his  flock.  After  dinner, 
he  read  an  hour  or  two,  and  then  vifited 
again.  In  the  evening,  he  read  one  or  two 
hours.  Between  nine  and  ten,  he  attended 
prayer  in  his  family.  About  eleven,  he  re- 
tired to  bed,  and  committed  himfelf  and  all 
his  concerns  to  God,  in  fecret  prayer, 
'  From  the  public  commotions,  which  agi- 
tated his  patriotic  bofom,  his  attention  was 
now  ferioufly  arrefted  by  domeftic  trials. 
For  feveral  months,  Mrs,  Stiles  had  been 
very  ill  with  a  pulmonary  complaint.  On 
the  26th  of  May,  he  writes  :  "  My  pious 
and  good  wife  has  been,  this  day,  fetting  her 
houfe  in  order,  and  giving  her  children  her 

dying 


i8S  THE    LIFE    OF 

dying  counfel.  God  grant  it  may  make  a 
deep  and  lafting  impreflion  on  their  tender 
minds  !  May  they  never  forget  her  affec- 
tionate concern,  efpecialiy  for  their  fpiritual 
and  eternal  welfare  !  Her  diforder  fo  far 
prevails,  as  to  leave  no  profpedt  of  her  con- 
tinuance in  this  vale  of  tears,  The  good 
Lord  grant  her  his  divine  prefence  ;  give 
her  a  humble  fubmifljon  to  his  holy  will  j 
increafe  and  ftrengthen  her  faith  and  truft  in 
the  divine  righteoufnefs  of  the  glorious  Im- 
manuel  !  May  God  prepare  us  all  for  the 
difpenfations  of  his  holy  providence,  quicken 
us  to  duty,  to  live  to  his  glory,  and  prepare 
for  a  bleffed  and  glorious  immortality  !'* 

His  foreboding  fears  were  foon  realized. 
Early  in  the  morning  of  the  29th  of  May, 
Mrs.  Stiles  departed  this  life,  leaving  the  ten* 
dereft  of  hufbands  overwhelmed  with  unut^ 
terable  fprrow.  While  Mrs.  Stiles'  private 
virtues  had  endeared  her,  in  the  higheft  de-* 
gree,  to  her  hufband,  children,  and  domef- 
tics ;  her  beneficence  and  diftufive  charities 
had  fecured  the  efteem  qf  the  Society,  who 
joined  with  the  family  in  paying  an  afTecfkion* 
ate  tribute  to  her  memory.  "  My  kind  peo- 
ple," the  Dodtor  gratefully  notices,  "  cloath.« 

?d 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       189 

<ed  the  whole  family,  and  were  at  the  whole 
expence  of  the  funeral." 

He  now  repaired  for  folace  to  that  re-, 
ligion,  which  he  had  preached  and  exempli-r 
fied  in  his  profperity  :  "  May  the  Lord 
fupport  me,  grai^t  n^  his  grace  and  divine 
confplation,  and  enable  me  to  behave,  under 
this  fore  bereavement,  as  becomes  a  Chriflian. 
I  defire  humbly  to  commit  myfelf,  and  my 
children,  to  the  protection  of  God's  holy 
providence.  In  God  is  all  my  hope,  and 
truft."  Though  he  fubmitted,  with  pious 
refignation,  to  this  moft  affliding  trial,  he 
continued  to  cherifh  the  beloved  memory  of 
the  wife  of  his  youth  to  the  day  of  his  death. 

In  July,  he  wrote  a  letter  to  his  Jewifh 
friend.  Rabbi  Carigal,  who  was  now  fettled 
in  Barbadoes,  and  waiting  the  arrival  of  his 
wife  and  children  from  the  Holy  Land.  To 
him  he  freely  unbofomed  his  grief.  "  I  pray 
God,  foon  to  give  you  a  fight  of  your  dear 
family,  and  long  continue  you  with  them. 
Whatever  fhall  contribute  to  your  happinefs, 
in  time  and  eternity,  I  fhall  fmcerely  rejoice 
in.  I  myfelf  am  in  tears  and  forrow.  It 
has  pleafed  the  Moft  High,  in  whofe  hands 
?ire  all  our  changes,  to  take  to  himfelf  my 

dear 


JL93  THE    LIFE    OF 

dear  wife.  I  hope,  and  truft,  fhe  is  now  at 
reft  in  Paradife,  with  Abraham,  Ifaac,  and 
Jacob.  The  tendereft  of  all  forrows,  is  that 
of  parting  with  a  bofom  friend.  O  the  laft, 
lafl,  filenee  of  a  friend  !  May  it  be  long 
before  you,  dear  Sir,  fball  be  called  to  expe- 
rience fo  tender  a  grief  !  But  one  condition 
of  our  coming  together  in  the  marriage  ftate 
is,  that,  fooner  or  later,  one  fhall  mourn  the 
death  of  the  other.  May  we  live  the  life  of 
holinefs  and  virtue  on  earth  ;  that,  through 
the  intercefTion  of  the  Angel  of  the  covenant, 
we  may  meet  and  rejoice  in  that  better  world, 
where  all  tears  fhall  be  wiped  away,  and 
fighing  and  forrowing  fhall  be  no  more  1" 
On  the  recommendation  of  the  general 
Congrefs,  at  Philadelphia,  a  Continental  Faft 
was  obferved,  July  2  o,  throughout  the  Unit-r 
ed  Colonies.  The  difpute  between  Greats 
Britain  and  America  refling  now  on  the  de- 
cifion  of  the  fword,  the  prefent  crifis  was 
viewed,  by  ever^^  American  citizen,  as  in  the 
higheft  degree  momentous.  To  no  one  did 
it  appear  more  folemnly  important,  than  to 
Dr.  Stiles.  On  this  great  occafion,  he  en^ 
tered  the  temple  with  all  the  ardour  of  pat- 
riotifm,  tempered  and  fandified  by  the  fpirit 

of 


PRESIDENT  STILES.'        \gi 

6f  devotion,  and  preached  to  the  moft  crowd- 
ed aflefnbly  he  ever  addreffed  from  his  owa 
pulpit.*  It  was  propofed  that  the  afternoon 
fermon  fhould  be  printed  5  but,-  with  hisf 
ufual  reluctance  to  tlie  pubHcation  of  his 
own  works,  he  decUsed  the  propofal. 

In  September,  he  vJited  the  camp  at  Cam- 
bridge, and  fpent  fev^Aal  days  there,  and  in 
its  vicinity  ;  during  which  time,  he  took  an 
accurate  draught  of  the  American  encamp- 
ments ;  a  lift  of  the  commanding-officers^ 
according  to  their  different  divifions  ;  an  ef- 
timate  of  the  number  and  pay  of  the  troops  ; 
and  whatever  interefted  his  inquifrtive  mind.- 

On  the  4th  of  October,  General  Hop- 
kins, with  about  400  troops,  marched  to' 
Newport,  with  orders  to  remove  and  protect 
the  ftock.  The  next  day,  a  refblute  party 
of  thefe  troops  marched  down  to  Brenton's 
Neck,  and  brought  off  a  number  of  cattle 
and  fhecp.  Initated  by  this  daring  enter- 
prife,  which  lefTened  the  Britifh  refources  for 
provifions.  Captain  Wallace  drew  up  his  men 
of  war  before  the  town,  and  threatened  to 
fire  upon  it.  His  menaces  threw  the  inhab- 
itants 

*  Texts,   A.  M.  Amos  iii.  i.  2 P.M.  2  Chron. 

XX.  II — I  J. 


igi  THE    LIFE    OF 

itants  into  a  general  panic  j  and  they  imme^ 
diately  began  to  remove  their  families  and 
efFedts.-- — A  letter  from  General  Wafhington 
renewed  their  alarm.  It  informed,  that  a 
thoufand  of  the  king's  troops,  with  fome 
fhips  of  force,  lately  failed  from  Bofton,  de- 
fighed,  as  was  apprehended,  to  attack  fome 
fea-port.  The  expedation  of  Britifh  troops 
on  the  one  hand,  and  of  Colony  troops  on 
the  other,  and  the  apprehenfion  of  a  confla- 
gration of  the  town,  revived  the  fpirit  of 
removal. 

With  what  emotions  of  tender  folicitude, 
and  with  what  humiliating  and  pioiis  reflec- 
tionsj  the  Dodlor  witnefled  this  confufed  and 
diftrefsful  fcene,  appears  from  the  following 
memoir  :  "  0<5tober  lo.  How  does  this 
town  fit  folitary  that  was  once  full  of  peo- 
ple !  I  am  not  yet  removed,  although  three 
quarters  of  my  beloved  church  and  congrega- 
tion are  broken  up  and  difperfed.  O  Jefus  ! 
1  commit  them  and  myfelf  to  thy  holy  keep- 
ing. It  is  a  diftreffing  providence,  full  of 
holy  inftrudlion.  Sandify  it  to  us,  O  heav- 
enly Father  !  Enable  us  to  call  ourfelves, 
our  burdens,  our  families,  our  all,  upon  thee, 
O  God  1     Be  thou  a  prefent  help  in  time  of 

trguble. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         193 

trouble.  It  is  a  righteous  and  holy  thing 
with  God  to  bring  the  fevereft  calamities  of 
this  civil  war  upon  the  maritime  towns,  be^^ 
calife  mofi  abounding  with  vice  and  wick- 
ednefs.  May  this  chaftifement  bring  us  to 
unfeigned  repentance  and  reformation.  May 
we  turn  to  the  Lord  with  all  our  hearts  ;  and 
may  a  holy  God  be  intreated  for  his  broken 
churches,  in  this  town,  Bofton,  Roxbury,  and 
other  fufFerirtg  places :  And  may  he  foon 
deliver  us  from  thefe  diftrefies." 

Wallace  returned,  with  his  fhlpping,  to 
Newport,  on  the  nth  ;  and  the  town 
continued  in  a  ftate  of  confufion  for  fev* 
eral  days; 

On  the  23d,  the  remnant  of  his  Society 
met,  and  judged  it  expedient  to  difcontinue 
the  public  worfhip  during  the  winter,  in 
confideration  of  the  prefent  evacuated,  diir 
treffed,  and  tumultuous  ftate  of  the  town  ; 
and  recommended  his  removal  to  Eiriftol,  for 
prefent  fafety.  The  very  next  day,  how- 
ever, it  appears,  that,  reluctant  to  a  fepara- 
tion  from  their  beloved  Paflor-,  they  circula- 
ted a  fubfcription,  and  colled:ed  a  competent 
fum  for  his  fupport.  This  very  deranged 
ftate  of  his  congregation  did  not  interrupt 
A  A  his 


194  THE    LIFE    OF 

his  adive  fervices  for  the  promotion  of  their 
religious  intereft. 

Another  letter  from  General  Wafhington^ 
informing,  with  his  ufual  vigilance,  that  Fal- 
mouth was  half  confumed,  and  ftill  in  flames, 
and  cautioning  Newport  of  impending  dan- 
ger, excited  a  new  and  defponding  alarm, 
which  was  heightened  hy  information  from 
General  Greene,  that  the  burning  of  the 
fea-ports  was  judged  to  be  by  frefh  orders 
from-  England.  But  the  Chriftian  Paftor 
manifefted  an  exemplary  firmnefs  at  this 
eventful  crifis.  Confident  of  the  juftice  of 
the  caufe,  and  imprelTed  with  a  fenfe  cyf  its 
importance  to  America,  and  to  the  world,  he 
relied,  with  unwavering  affurance,  on  the 
divine  pretention,  and  on  a  favourable  iffue 
of  the  coriteft.  **  The  times,"  he  remarks, 
**  are  diftreffing.  The  Dutch  extend  the 
period  of  their  prohibition  of  exporting 
powder  and  arms  to  the  Englifh  Colonies. 
i  fee  the  European  powers  will  Ke  ftill  : 
they  wifh  the  downfal  of  Britain,  but  do 
not  behold  with  pieafure  the  revolt  of  Colo- 
nies, left  it  ftiould  be  a  precedent  for  their 
own.  So  that  it  fzcms  as  if  God,  in  his 
holy  providence,  defigned  to  fet  the  United 

Englifti 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         195 

Englifh  Colonies  alone,  in  the  arduous  con- 
fli(5t ;  that,  abandoned  by  the  Parent  3tate, 
and  by  the  world,  He  may  take  us  by  the 
hand,  apd  lead  us  to  more  confpicuous  fal- 
vation  and  vidory." 

Dr.  Hopkins  held  a  ftated  evening  ledure 
every  week,  which  Dr.  Stiles  ufually  attend- 
€d.  On  one  of  thefe  occauons,  having  read 
his  text,  he  was  taken  with  a  bleeding  at  the 
nofe,  and  fat  down.  The  blood  not  Hop- 
ping, he  requefted  Dr.  Stile?  to  preach.  Fur- 
niihed  to  all  good  works,  he  took  the  fame 
text,  and  preached  extemporaneoufly. 

In  his  Literary  Diary,  he  obfen-es,  "  This 
is  my  birth-day.  I  am,  through  the  patience 
of  God,  this  day,  48  years  old,  Th6  laft 
year  has  been  the  mofl:  afflidive  and  diftreff- 
ing  year  of  my  life*  God,  by  his  grace,  has 
hitherto  carried  me  through  my  trials  ;  and 
I  hope,  in  fome  degree,  fan6:ified  them„  It 
is  a  world  of  forrow  and  tribulation,  But 
why  fliould  a  living  man  complain  for  the 

punifhment  of  fins  ? May  God.  fanclify 

to  me  all  the  afflidtive  difpenfations  of  his 
holy  providence,  efpecially  the  death  of  my 
wife,  the  difpeifion  of  my  church  and  con^ 
gregation,  and  the  prefent  civil  war  !" 


196  THE    LIFE    OF 

A.  D,  M,DCC,LXXVL— ^TAT.  XLIX. 

BY  a  letter  of  January  21,  to  Mr-  Lewis, 
a  tutor  in  Yale  College — who,  in  a  letter  tQ 
the  Do^or,  had  expreffed  his  concern  for 
his  fafety,  and  invited  him  into  Connecticut, 
•—it  appears,  that,  from  the  beginning  of 
November,  he  had  kept  himfelf  and  his 
family  in  readinefs  to  leave  Newport  at  any 
warnin.g  ;  and  that,  after  feeing  the  King's 
fpeech,  and  the  difputes  on  it  in  Parliament, 
his  "  fecret  hope  that  the  veil  would  be  re- 
moved from  the  Parent  State  was  now  at  an 
end." — —Though  he  believed  the  miniftry 
intended  an  accommodation,  yet  he  judged 
they  would  keep  up  hoftilities,  and  the  pa- 
rade of  w£^r  ;  and  fo  delay  the  only  effedual 
remedy.  "  For,"  he  obferves,  "  after  Great- 
Britain  has  conftrained  us  to  repel  her  hoftil- 
ities, and  defend  ourfelves,  fhe  will  find  the 
energies  and  powers,  equal  to  fuch  a  conflict 
and  defence,  will  fuftain  a  fovereign  State." 
While,  in  oppofition  to  the  judgment  of  Con- 
grefs,  and  of  the  army,  he  was  of  the  opin- 
ion, that  Newport  was  defenfible  ;  he  ac- 
knowledged "  that  the  fituation  was  danger- 
pus  j"  and  that  he  had  "  determined  to  re- 
move 


PRESIDENT    STILES.        197 

move  his  family,  as  foon  as  poflible."  De- 
voted as  he  was  to  the  work  of  the  miniftiy, 
he  piiq)ofed  to  offer  his  fervices  to  forae 
vacant  church,  "  till  it  might  pleafe  divine 
Providenc?  to  re-ailemble  his  dear  fcattered 
flock."  Revolving  in  his  mind  hovv^  to 
difpofe  of  himfelf  during  its  difperfion,  he 
fometimes  thought  of  teaching  the  ufe  of  the 
globes,  geography,  m^athematics,  and  hiftory, 
in  fome  interior,  populous  part  of  the  coun- 
try. Sometimes  he  thought  of  offering 
himfelf  to  read  public  lectures,  for  a  few 
months,  in  one  of  the  colleges,  on  two 
branches  of  literature,  the  Oriental  languages, 
and  ecclefiaftical  hiftory.  "  Nothing,"  he 
remarks,  "  is  more  cuftomary  in  the  Euro- 
pean univerfities."  He  alfo  meditated  other 
purfuits  ;  but  he  confidered  the  miniftiy  moft 
in  chara(£l:er  for  him,  if  it  jDhould  pleafe  God 
to  open  a  doer  for  his  future  fervices. 

Finding  the  Parliament  refolved  to  profe- 
cute  the  war,  he  w^ent  to  Dighton,  in  MafTa- 
chufetts,  and  there  hired  a  place  for  the 
reception  of  his  family,  whither  he  removed 

on  the  1 3th  of  March. During  the  con- 

fufed  fcene  from  Odober  to  March,  he  con- 
tinued   his    paftoral   labours    in    his    own 

church, 


198  THE    LIFE    OF 

church,    and    frequently    preached    to   the 
foldiers. 

About  this  time  he  received  an  earnefl 
application  from  the  Congregational  church 
in  Providence,  to  remove  his  family  to  that 
town,  and  ferve  them  in  the  miniftry,  He 
chofe,  however,  to  live  in  retirement  and 
tranquillity,  till  the  political  florm  Ihould  be 
blown  over  ;  or,  in  cafe  of  its  continuance, 
he  wifhed  a  longer  time  to  eonfider  the  ex- 
pediency of  another  removal. 

In  his  tranquil  retreat,  he  carefully  ob- 
ferved  every  public  occurrence  ;  and  the 
mofl  interefting  tranfadtions,  whether  in  the 
cabinet,  or  in  the  field,  he  recorded  with  fm- 
gular  exadtnefs.  That  magnanimous  a.Q.  of 
the  American  Congrefs,  which  aftonilhed  the 
world,  and  which  muft  immortalize  the 
names  of  the  daring  patriots  who  figned  it, 
now  arrefted  his  attention.  The  Declara- 
tion OF  Independence,  dated  July  4th, 
led  him  to  remark  :  "  Thus  the  Congrefs 
has  tied  a  Gordian  knot,  which  the  Parlia- 
ment will  find  they  can  neither  cut  nor 
untie.  The  Thirteen  United  Colonies  now 
rife  into  an  Independent  Republic,  among 
the  Kingdoms,  States,  and  Empires  on  earth, 

May 


f 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        19^ 

May  the  fiipreme  and  omnipotent  Lord  cf 
the  imiverle,  fhower  down  his  bleflings 
upon  it,  and  ever  keep  it  under  his  holy 
protedlion." 

Having  finifhed  the  Hebrew  Scriptures, 
he  began  the  New  Teftament  in  September, 
with  a  defign  of  examining  and  comparing 
the  whole  of  it  with  the  Syriac  Teftament. 
This  was,  in  his  opinion,  "  as  much  the  orig- 
inal as  the  Greek,  and  rather  more  {o,  it  be- 
ing certainly  of  the  apoftolic  age,  and  made 
under  the  infpedtion  of  the  Apoftles,  if  not 
by  them.  Matth-ew,  Hebrews,  ami  Peter,  at 
kaft,  were  firft  written  in  Syriac  :  and,  in 
general,"  in  his  judgment,  "the  Greek  is 
rather  to  be  confidered  a  tranflation  of  the 
Syriac,  than  the  original."* 

The 

*  Literary  Diary. 

He  afterwards  publicly  advanced  the  fame  fenti- 
ment,  and  added  another  reafon  for  his  eftimation  of  the 
Syriac  language  :  "  Huic  afilnis,  [^i.  e.  linguae  Hebr^ceJ 
feu  potius  "'"'p  W3  et  filia  vocis,  eft  Syriaca  ;  in  qua  primi- 
tus  Novi  Tcftamenti  maxima  pars  vel  faeculo  apoftolico 
confcripta,  opinor,  non  tranflata  fuit.  Liberrime  enim 
apoftoli  et  Syriace  Chriftianis  Paleftinis  utique  cseteris 
Grnsce  refcripferunt.  Magns  autoritatis  igitur  eft  Tefta- 
mentum  Syriacum,  immo  mecum  ejufdem  ac  Graece 
fcriptum.  Res  facrae  atque  cseleftes  in  nulla  lingua  cum 
tanta  perfpicuitate  et  fublimitate  vel  tradi  vel  vocitari 
pofTunt,  quanta  in  Hebrsa  et  dialsdis  inde  fcaturientibus, 

Quinimo 


'200  THE     LIFE     OF 

The  church  of  Taunton,  obferving  a  day 
of  failing  and  prayer,  to  feek  divine  direc- 
tion in  the  choice  of  a  paftor,  the  Do6tor  at- 
tended the  folemnity,  with  feveral  neigh- 
bouring minifters,  and  preached  to  a  very 
large  and  ferious  congregation.  The  com- 
mittee of  the  church  applying  to  the  minif- 
ters to  recommend  a  fuitable  perfoii  for  this 
place,  they  advifed  an  application  to  Dr.  Stiles. 
Judging  that  his  church  and  fociety,  at  New^ 
port,  were  fo  broken  up,  that  he  would  no 
more  minifter  to  them,  they  urged  him  to 
feek  a  difmiffion  from  theiii,  and  cOrrte  to 
Taunton.  Refolved,  however,  not  to  relin- 
quifh  his  beloved  charge,  till  the  laft  extrem- 
ity, he  toid  them,  he  hoped  it  might  pleafe 
God,  that  his  congregation  at  Newport  fKould 
be  re-gathered ;  that  hd  fhould  by  no  means 
feek  a  difconnexion  from  them  at  prefent  ;- 
and,  therefore,  that  if  immediate  fettlement 
in  the  miniftry  was  advifable  for  Taunton,- 
he  mull  be  out  of  the  queftion. 

On  Lord's  day,  December  8,  about  40 
Brkifh  tranfports,  and  a  dozen  (hips  of  war, 

difembarked 

Quihimo  Syrlacae  ope  intelliguntur  Illuflrationes  Chaldaic^ 
Targumim  Jo7iathan'is    et  Onkeloft  ;    et  arcanx      fcicntisc 

in  Zohare  reconditae,  caeterirque  autoribus  vere 

digniQlmi?.'*  Oratio  Inang.. 


PRESIDENT   STILES.       201 

diifembarked  about  3000  troops  on  Rhode- 
Ifland,  and  took  pofleffion  of  the  town  of 
Newport. 

His  paftoral  mlniftrations  were  fo  inter- 
rupted this  year,  that,  remitting,  in  fome  de- 
gree, his  theological  ftudies,  he  became  more 
minutely  attentive  to  the  proceedings  of  the 
Britiih  miniftry,  and  to  the  operations  of  the 
war  in  America  ;  and  was  arduous  to  ac- 
quire authentic  intelligence  from  every 
fource.  Newport  having  become  a  feat  of 
war,  he  had  frequent  accefs  to  the  officers 
of  the  American  army,  and  to  the  moft  em- 
inent political  charadters.  The  knowledge 
which  he  derived  from  this  intercoiirfe,  and 
from  the  public  papers,  he  daily  recorded  5 
and  it  cbnftitutes  the  principal  part  of  a 
quarto  volume,  of  nearly  400  pages. 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

"  IT  has  pleafed  a  holy  God,  that  my  deaf 
flock  fhould  be  broken  up,  and  fcattered 
abroad.  May  the  great  Head  of  the  church 
have  and  keep  us  under  his  holy  protection,' 
and  re-gather  us  in  his  own  time  ;  and,  above 
all,  fandlify  to  us  every  trial  in  the  kingdom 
B  £  and 


562  THE    LIFE    OF 

and  patience  of  the  bleffed  Immannel  !  1  am 
now  entering  the  fiftieth  year  of  a  ufelefs 
life.  May  the  God  of  my  fathers  take  care 
of  me,  my  children,  my  flock,  the  caufe  of 
liberty,  Jind  his  Proteftant  Zion  in  America  I 
It  is  with  Him,  to  give  confolatiori,  fan£tify 
every  affliction,  and  dehver  us  all,  at  laft,  in- 
to the  glorious  liberty  of  the  fons  of  God^** 


^.i>.   M,DCC,LXXVII.— jEtat.  L, 

ON  the  firft  day  of  January,  he  begaft  the 
Bible  again,  in  his  private  reading,  keeping 
before  hiril  the  Hebrev/,  and  the  Clialdee 
Targurrt,  of  the  Old  Teftament,  vtdth  the 
commentaries  of  Aben  Ezra,  Solomon  Ifhaki, 
and  others.  Continuing  to  read  Jtlfo  a  daily 
portioti  of  the  New  Teftament,  he  proceed- 
ed in  courfe  with  the  Syriac  Verfion. 

In  his  clofet,  on  Lord's  day,  January  19, 
he  took  a  review  of  all  the  religions  of  ev- 
ery age,  and  nation,  in  the  world  ;  and  ex- 
amined the  grounds  of  his  preference  of  the 
Chriftian  religion.  Having  traced  the  rife 
and  progrefs  of  the  oriental  idolatry ;  the 
K^ligious  fyftem   of  Zoroafter  5    the   intro- 

dudtion 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        203 

du£lion  and  eftablifl^meiit  of  the  inftitution 
of  the  Lama,  from  Ganges  to  China  ;  and 
the  impofture  of  Mahomet ;  he  followed  the 
iine  of  the  true  and  uncorrupt^d  religion, 
in  every  fuccefTive  age,  While  he  judged 
the  falfe  religion,  which  ;has  prevailed  iri  the 
various  ages  of  the  world,  and  which  ftill 
prevails  among  many  nati(?ns,  to  be  clearly 
difcernibie,  he  believed  that  the  true  religion 
now  fubfiifs,  in  a  good  degree  of  apofr- 
tolic  purity,  in  the  churches  of  Hun-gary, 
and  of  that  connexion,  in  the  ^hm'ches  of 
Holland,  and  of  New-England,  There  i§ 
ftill  much  true  religion  among  th^  Luther- 
ans— "  But,"  adds  he,  "  all  the  churches 
in  Chriftendom,  American,  Holland,  Hun-» 
garian,  Greek,  Armenian,  Moravian,  have 
fo  much  imperfection,  and,  above  all,  fo 
little  of  the  holy  life,  that  I  am,  fometimes, 
at  a  lofs  where  to  look  for  the  true  church 
of  Jefus,  Thanks  to  God,  in  every  denom-^ 
ination,  in  the  church  univerfa),  I  can  read 
of  particular  perfons,  and  particular  churches, 
and  fome  clufters  of  churches^  eminent  for 
piet^'-,  as  well  as  foundnefs  in  the  faith, 
With  all  thefe  mv  foul  unites   and  harmo« 


nizes,'* 


On 


ep4  THE     LIFE     OF 

On  a  review  of  the  controvferfies  in  tlie 
Chriftian  church,  he  found,  that  by  far  the 
greateft  part  of  them  Utigated  human  inven- 
tions, and  improvements  in  Chriftianity. — : 
It  excited  his  indignation,  to  fee  fo  ht- 
tie  charity  among  the  various  Chriftian  de- 
nominations ;  and  fuch  zeal  to  build  up 
fe6:s,  rather  than  make  Chrifttans. — He 
fat  out  in  life  w^ith  an  extenfive  charity  to 
all  Proteftants,  fuppofmg  their  differences 
founded  in  confcientious  judgment  ;  and 
wiihing  all  to  live  in  forbearance,  mutual 
love,  and  harmony,  and  to  join  in  their  fev- 
eral  w^ays  in  promoting  righteoufnefs  and 
virtue.  But  he  found  the  reverfe.  Having 
given  a  fummary  view  of  the  principal  fecSls 
of  Proteftantifm,  "  All  thefe,"  he  obferves, 
**  except  the  Prefbyterians,  refufe  commu- 
nion to  each  other. — Durseus,  in  the  laft 
centur)'-,  fpent  30  years,  in  travelling 
through  Europe,  for  the  purpofe  of  unit- 
ing all  ProteQiant  churches,  efpecially  the 
Lutherans  and  Calvinifts.  It  was  Sify- 
phean  labour.  Perhaps  the  great  Head  of 
the  church  fees  it  beft  that  ChriftendK:)m 
fhould  be  broken  into  different  commu- 
nions, left  human  wifdom  fhould  improve 

a  2;cneral 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        2g| 

a  general  union  to  a  fecular  ufe,  and  world- 
ly grandeur.  It  is  enough,  if  we  can  find 
a  good  number  of  believers  of  our  own  fen- 
timents,  to  join  in  fellowfhip  of  word  and 
ordinances.  The  purer  fuch  a  particular 
fellowihip,  as  to  theological  dodrines,  and 
freedom  from  human  decorations,  the  bet- 
ter. In  all  communions,  if  there  be  the 
true  faith  in  Jefus,  there  is  falvation :  the 
fuperfluities  in  do£trine  and  worfhip  will  be 
found  nullities  at  the  great  day  ;  but  the 
true  love  of  Jefus  will  abide  the  fire." 

Opportunities  for  taking  a  part  in  feveral 
refpedtable  ecclefiaftical  connexions,  were  de- 
fignedly  neglected.  "  Forefeeing,"  fays  he, 
*'  the  lengths  their  fyftems  would  carry  me, 
I  flopped,  and  am,  perhaps,  more  than  any 
man,  of  my  extenfive  acquaintance,  and 
con'efpondence,  alone  in  the  world  ;  while 
I  have  the  pure  and  daily  pleafure  of  a  con- 
fcious  and  cordial  union  with  all  the  good — 
with  thofe  who  love  and  thofe  vv^ho  hate 
me — with  the  numerous  millions  who  know 
me  not — with  ^he  whole  colledtion  of  char- 
acters in  all  nations,  of  every  kind  and 
degree  of  excellence,  literary  or  moral  : 
above  all,  my  foul  unites  moft  fincerely  with 

the 


2o6  THE    LIFE     OF 

the  whole  body  of  the  myftical  church— « 
with  all,  that  in  every  nation  fear  God,  and 
love  our  Lord  Jefiis  Chrifl.  Thefe,  ftript 
of  all  the  peculiarities,  which  ei^ternally  fepa- 
late  them  from  one  another,  and  frona  me, 
I  embrace  with  a  true  fpirit  of  univerfal  love^ 
But,  to  lov-e  a  whole  characj:er,  or  a  whole 
church,  or  any  whole  fraternity,  whether 
literary,  religious,  or  political,  I  do  not  find 
within  me.  Entering  into  whatever  fcene^ 
I  m,eet  with  many  incongruities,  and  am  dif^. 
gufted  too  much  for  acquiefcence  in  any 
here  below.  I  never  fhall  cordially  and  ex- 
ternally unite  with  mankind,  in  any  of  their 
affairs,  enterprizes,  and  revolutions.  There 
is  a  preference  of  fyftems,  but  no  perfect 
one  on  earth.  I  expert  no  great  fellowfhip 
^nd  open  communication  with  mankind,  but 
intend  to  become  more  and  more  the  reclufe  ; 
waiting  for  the  Reft  of  Paradife,  where,  I 
forefee,  my  foul  will  unite  with  perfections 
and  acquiefce  in  eternal  univerfal  harmony." 

While  at  Dighton,  w^here  he  generally 
performed  divine  fervice  on  the  Lord's  day, 
though  occafionally  to  the  remnant  of  his 
flock  at  Newport,  he  received  an  invitation 
from  the  lirft  church  at  Portfmouth,  lately 

the 


PRESIDENT   STILES,       10^ 

the  charge  of  Prefident  Langdon,  to  come 
and  labour  among  them  in  the  miniftry.  In 
a  letter  to  the  Reverend  Dr.  Haven  of  Portf- 
mouth,  who  had  United  with  Prefident  Lang- 
don^ and  the  fociety,  in  importuning  his 
acceptance  of  this  invitation,  he  writes,  That 
he  had  long  ago  given  himfelf  to  the  fervice 
of  the  divine  Jefus,  and  defired  always  to 
be  at  the  difpofal  of  the  great  Head  of  th^ 
ehurch,  in  whatever  part  of  the  vineyard  he 
might  command  his  labours  ;  that  it  had 
pleafed  him,  in  his  holy  providence,  to  break 
up  and  fcatter  his  dear  flock^  but  that  his 
paftoral  relation  is  not  diflblved  ;  and,  that 
during  this  difperfion,  he  is  ready  to  ferve 
any  vacant  church  ;  that,  if  the  congregation 
looked  for  immediate  fettlem.ent,  he  fhould 
mifs  the  fatisfadtion  ;  but,  that  if  it  fliould 
be  agreeable  to  them,  that  he  fhould  mrniftef 
there  in  the  word  and  ordinances,  for  a;  year» 
or  more,  or  till  the  end  of  the  war,  if  it 
ftiould  pleafe  God  he  fhould  live  to  that; 
time,  leaving  the  confideration  of  fettlement, 
to  the  future  openings  and  orderings  of 
Divine  Providence,  he  fhould  be  willing  to 
devote  his  labours  to  their  fervice.  This 
was  the  purport  of  the   anfwer  which  he^ 

fent 


2o8  THE    LIFE    OF 

fent  to  the  church  at  Poitfmoath.  A  com- 
mittee of  that  church  foon  after  invited  him 
to  preach  there,  oii  the  conditions  which  he 
had  propofed. 

The  Reverend  Dr.  Chaiincy  wrote  to  him 
about  the   fame   time,   recommending  it  to 
him    to    come    to     Bofton,     and     vohmta- 
rily   offering  him    one    half  of   what   wasr 
weekly  contributed  for  his  own  fupport,  if  he 
would  affift  him  in   carrying   on  the  minif- 
terial  work.     At  the  fame  time  he  informed 
him  that  there  were  two  vacancies  in  Bofton, 
and  one  in  Roiibury,-  where  the  congrcga-* 
tions  w^ould  be  glad  of  his  afTiftance,  for  what 
time  he  fhould  pleafe.     With  what  gratitude 
to  his  friend,  and  with  what  pious  acknowl- 
edgments to  the  good  providence  of  God, 
he    received    this    expreffion    of    Chriftian 
friendfhip,  appears  from   his   reply  to   Dr. 
Chauney  :  "  I  cannot  be  fufficiently  thankful, 
for  the  very  great  kindnefs  you  have  fliew- 
cd   me,  in  my  exiled   ftate,   by  inviting  my 
poor  labours  with  you,  and  for  offering  me 
a  participation   of  your  fupport.     May  the 
great  Head  of  the  church,  the   fountain  of 
all  good,  requite  this  affedlionate  beneficence, 
and   alfo   your   kind  offices,  in   opening  a 

way 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       209 

way  for  my  employment  in  the  other  con- 
gregations^ which  you  mention.  I  thank 
my  heavenly  Father  for  thefe  openings  of 
his  gracious  providence*"  With  what  hu- 
miliating refle<^ions  does  he  proceed  to  no- 
tice the  divine  difpenfations  towards  him 
and  his  church  !  "  The  dealings  of  the 
Moft  High,  towards  me  and  my  flock,  have 
been  truly  afFe£ting,  humbling,  and  inftruc- 
tive.  They  have  led  me  very  ferioully  to 
think,  whether  divine  Wifdom  has  not  feeii 
fit  to  ejedt  me  from  the  vineyard,  for  my 
own  imperfections,  unfaithfulnefs,  and  un- 
fruitfulnefs,  in  his  fervice,  in  the  work  of 
the  miniftry,  for  which  I  never  thought  my- 
felf  fuitably  qualified.  I  have,  therefore, 
wifhed  for  a  more  retired  and  lefs  confpicu- 
ous  fituation,  than  either  Bofton,  or  Portf- 
mouth,  until  it  might  pleafe  God,  either  to 
difmifs  me  to  another  world,  or  return  me 
to  my  former  flock,  if  He  {hould  be  pleafed 
to  have  any  further  fervice  for  me  among 
them.  How  I  may  be  difpofed  of,  is  with 
God,  who  hath  been  my  guide  all  my  life 
long,  hitherto,  and  to  whofe  gracious  influ- 
ence, and  merciful  wifdom,  I  defire  to  com- 
mit rayfelf,  the  fhort  remnant  of  my  days  or^. 
'       #        Cc  earth"' 


2ia         THE    LIFE    OF 

earth."  In  the  apoftolical  ftyle,  he  adds  : 
"  I  muft  go  to  Illyricum  ;  but  I  {hall  call  at 
Antioch  in  my  way  thither.'* 

On  the  14th  of  March,  he  records  the  di- 
vine goodnefs  tov/ard  him  and  his  family, 
iince  their  removal  from  Newport.  *'  This 
day,  my  family  has  been  a  year  at  Dighton. 
A  gracious  Providence  has  fo  fupplied  us, 
that  I  am  not  in  debt  for  fubfiftence  the  year 
paft  ;  and,  bleffed  be  God,  there  is  fome 
meal  in  the  barrel,  and  fome  oil  in  the  cruife. 
Belide  my  paftoral  employment  among  this 
people,  I  have  two  invitations  to  preach  elfe- 
where.  Thus,  while  it  has  pleafed  God  ta 
frown  upon  me,  in  the  difperfion  of  my 
Congregation,  at  Nev^ort,  yet  his  loving- 
kindnefs  he  hath  not  utterly  taken  from  me. 
O  that  I  may  never  diftmft  his  care,  nor 
faint  under  his  rebukes  5  but  humbly  com* 
mit  myfelf,  my  family,  and  flock,  to  his  holy 
protection  ;  and  feel  a  willirignefs,  both  in 
profperity  and  adverfity,  to  be  entirely  at  the 
difpofal  of  divine  Providence  !'* 

From  the  moment  that  America  was  con- 
ftrained  to  appeal  to  ai-ms,  in  defence  of  her 
liberties,  his  judgment  concerning  the  proper 
conditions  of  reconciliation  to  Great-Britain 

never 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       211 

never  varied  A  report  being  circulated,  at 
this  time,  that  Britifh  commiffioners  had  re- 
new^dly  offered  to  Congrefs  honourable 
terms  of  negociation,  he  remarks  : 

"  Timeo  Danao5,  et  dona  ferentes.*^ 


*'  This  is  an  artful  ftratagem.  It  is  to^  be 
hoped,  the  Congrefs  will  be  firm.  No  pro-? 
pofal  for  interviews  and  negociation  fliould 
be  attended  to,  without  this  preliminary,  An 
adt  of  pai'liament,  renouncing  the  dominion 
of  thefe  States,  and  acknowledging  their  In- 
dependence and  Sovereignty  ;  4t  the  fame 
time  withdrawing  their  armies  ;  then,  we 
may  liften  to  propofitions  of  alliance," 

Early  in  April  he  went  to  Portfmouth ; 
and  on  the  21  ft,  the  firft  Church  and  Socie-^ 
ty  in  that  town,  gave  him  a  unanimous  in- 
vitation to  remove  and  fettle  one  year  with 
them,  in  the  work  of  the  miniftry.  He 
could  ^  act  but  confider  the  acceptablenefs 
of  his  poor  labours  ;  an  of>ening  for  fbme 
little  ufefulnefs ;  and  liberal  pro-jdrion  for 
his  family,  in  this  time  of  public  calamity, 
wonderfully  providential.  It  demands  my 
gratitude  to  Heaven.  This  is  a  fea-port,  and 
expofed  to  the  enemy  ;    but  dangers   and 

troubles! 


512  THE    LIFE    OF 

troubles  await  us  every  where.  In  God's 
holy  protedion  only  is  there  fecurity.  I 
have  taken  the  matter  into  coniideration  ; 
for,  though  the  cafe  appears  comfortably  clear, 
at  firft  view,  yet  our  beft  profpe6ts  are  fo 
eafily  difadjufted  and  difappointed,  that  I  de- 
lire  firft  to  afk  counfel  of  Heaven.  If  God 
hath  a  work  for  me  any  wher^,  he  will  man- 
ifeft  it,  If  God's  prcfence  is  not  to  go  with 
me,  I  would  not  be  carried  up  hence  by  the 
moft  flattering  profpedts.  Having  found, 
by  fufficient  experience,  that,  without  the 
divine  guidance  and  blefling,  we  are  noth- 
ing, I  defire  to  refer  this,  and  all  my  con- 
cerns, to  God," 

A  plot  of  the  Britifh  minlftry  being  dif- 

/ered,  at  this  time,  he  remarks  :   *'  We  arc 

•fo  furrounded  with  all  kinds  of  enemies,  and 

with  fo  many  fpecies  of  danger,  that  we  are 

ncceffitated  to  fee  that  God  alone  can  fave  us, 

However  it   may  pieafe  Him  to  deal 

with  particular  churches,  and  families,  which 
may  be  involved  in  ruin  in  this  momentous 
confiid;  ;  yet  I  have  an  entire  confidence, 
that  the  great  American  caufe,  both  as  to 
Liberty  and  Protestantism,  will  be 
carried  through,  with  eventual  fuccefs,  vic> 

tory, 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        213 

tory,  and  triumph.  Though  the  Tree  of 
Liberty  is  defpoiled  of  feme  of  its  beautiful 
leaves  and  branches,  in  the  defolating  tem- 
peft,  which  has  blown  with  violence  along 
the  Continent ;  yet,  God  be  thanked,  it  ftill 
ftands  firm  ;  and  I  doubt  not,  Heaven  in- 
tends it  fhall  maintain  itfelf  with  triumphant 
fteadinefs,  and  eventual  firmnefs." 

On  the  23d  of  April,  he  gave  his  anfwer 
of  acceptance  to  the  Church  and  Society  at 
Portfmouth.  Deeply  affected  with  their  gen- 
erofity,  they  having  "  kindly  voted,  that  if 
what  they  had  granted  be  inadequate,  they 
would,  befides,  pay  the  expences  of  his  re- 
moval," he  remarks  :  "  Certainly,  God  hath 
put  it  into  their  hearts  thus  to  provide  for  an 
exiles — ^praifed  be  his  name  !"  Two  days  af- 
ter, he  fet  out  for  Dighton,  for  the  removal 
of  his  family. 

About  this  time,  one  of  his  flock  v^rote 
to  him,  and  folicited  his  religious  counfel. 
In  his  reply,  he  gives  a  renewed  proof  of  his 
tender  love  to  his  church,  and  of  his  deep 
humiliation  in  the  review  of  his  miniftry : 
"  My  dear  flock,  alas  !  is  broken  up,  and 
difperfed  to  the  four  winds.  They  are  daily 
on  my  mind  at  the  throne  of  grace.     Did 

the 


214  THE     LIFE     OF 

the  candle  burn  dim,  that  the  holy  Jefus  came 
forth  in  anger,  and  removed  both  that  an4 
the  candleftick  out  qf  their  place  ?  The  good 
Lord  forgive  one,  who  v^dfhed  to  approve 
himfelf  faithful  j  but,  alas  !  in  all  refpe£ts, 
came  ihort.  May  this  humbling  difpenfa- 
tion  and  chaftifement  be  fanclified  to  us  all, 
quicken  us  to  fidelity,  and  teach  us  to  prize 

the  Word,  fellowfhip,  and  ordinances. 1 

have  great,  though  humble,  faith,  that  God 
will  re-gather,  and  fettle  us  in  our  former 
ftate.  Let  us  live  fo,  that,  living  or  dyings 
we  may  be  the  Lord's." 

Having  preached  a  farewell  fermon  to  the 
Congregation  at  Dighton,  he,  with  his  fam- 
ily, left  that  place  on  the  2  2d  of  May.  On 
his  arrival  at  Portfmouth,  thefe  are  his  pious 
reflediions  :  "  The  angel  of  the  Lord's  pref- 
ence  has  feemed  to  accompany  us  hitherto. 
The  good  Lord  furround  us  with  his  loving- 
kindnefs,  and  have  us  always  in  his  holy 
keepmg.  May  the  great  Head  of  the  church 
be  with  me,  and  make  me  faithful,  now  he 
hath  opened  the  way  for  my  labours  in  this 
part  of  his  vineyard.  Whether  the  enemy 
w^ill  allow  us  to  reft  in  peace,  is  known  only 
to  God.      But,  if  we  muft   make  another 

flight 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         ii^- 

flight  this  fummer,  may  God  give  us  a  pil- 
grim's heart.  To  Him  I  commit  myfeh\ 
my  dear  Rhode-Ifland  exiled  flock,  my  fam- 
ily, the  flock  I  am  now  to   minirter  to,  my 

country,  and  the  church  iiniverfal." -He 

gratefully  acknowledges  the  very  obliging 
and  hofpitable  attentions  of  the  people  of 
Portfmauth,  who  "  furnifhed  a  good  houfe 
for  the  reception  of  his  family,  and  re- 
ceived him  with  all  the  kindnefs  he 
Gould   wi£h." 

Happily  fituated  as  he  now  was,  even  to 
the  completion  of  his  wiihes,  till  he  might 
be  reftored  to  his  own  flock  ;  divine  Provi- 
dence was  opening  the  way  for  bis  introduc- 
tion into  a  more  extenlive  fphefe  of  public 
ufefulnefs.  The  Reverend  Dr.  Daggett  had 
recently  refigned  the  prefidency  of  Yale  Col- 
lege. In  July,  at  a  conference  of  the  Cor-, 
poration  with  a  Committee  of  the  General 
AflTembly  of  Connecticut,  chofen  from  each 
county,  the  fubje6l:  of  the  choice  of  a  Prefi- 
dent  being  introduced,  that  Committee  men- 
tioned Dr.  Stiles  "  as  the  moll  proper  perfon  ; 
as  one  who  would  be  the  moft  acceptable  to 
all  ranks,  fo  far  as  they  had  had  opportunity 
to  know  the  public  opinion,  in  differant  parts 

of 


i6  THE    LIFE    OF 


of  the  State  ;  and  ftrongly  recommended 
him  to  the  Corporation."* 

On  the  1 9th  of  September,  he  received  a 
letter  from  his  friend  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Whittelfey,  of  New-Haven,  informing  him 
of  his  ele-dion  to  this  office. 

Biit,  delightful  as  it  was  to  him  to  acquire 
and  communicate  knowledge  ;  and  led,  as 
he  repeatedly  had  been^  by  his  friends,  to 
confider  as  probable  his  appointment  to  this 
office  ;  far  from  calling  a  wifhful  eye  to  the 
prefidential  chair,  he  appears  to  have  judged 
it  not  deftined  for  him,  nor  eligible,  if  it 
were  offered.  "  My  election  to  the  prefi- 
dency  of  Yale  College j"  he  writes,  on  this 
occafion,  "  is  an  unexpected  and  wonder- 
ful ordering  of  divine  Providence  :  not 
but  that  it  has  been  talked  of  for  years  paft  ; 
but  I  knew  fuch  reafons  as  made  it,  in  my 
view,  morally  impolTible  that  I  fhould  be 
elected.  When,  therefore,  any  of  my  par- 
tial friends  w^ere  plealed  to  compliment  me 
with  the  expectation  of  fuch  an  event,  thefe 
infuperable  obftacles  occurred  to  my  mind, 
and  rendered  the  mention  of  it  difguftfuL 
So  that  I  have  no  more  revolved  in  my 

mind, 

*  Letter  of  the  Reverend  Dr.  Dana. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       217 

mind,  whether  I  am  qualified  for  fuch  an 
office,  than  for  that  of  a  prime  minifter  or 
a  fultan  j  or  whether  I  fhould,  on  the 
whole,  be  defirous  of  it.  At  beft,  the  dia- 
dem of  a  Prefident  is  a  crown  of  thorns."* 

On  the  27th  of  September,  he  received 
official  notice  of  his  eledtion,  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Johnfon,  one  of  the  Fellows  of  Yale 
College,  who  waited  on  him  at  Portfmouth, 
in  perfon,  with  a  letter  from  the  Corpora- 
tion, which  informed  him  of  their  choice, 
and  folicited  his  acceptance. 

By  Mr.  Johnfon  he  wrote  the  following 
anfwer  : 

"  Gentlemen, 
Your  ele<Slion  of  me  to  fo  confpicuous  a 
ftation  as  the  prefidency  of  Yale  College,  is 
an  honour  as  unexpected  as  it  is  unmerited. 
Your  application  to  me,  upon  this  import- 
ant affair,  I  have  received  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Johnfon,  in  your  letter  of  the  loth  ult. 
wherein  you  are  pleafed  to  requeft  "  a  fa- 
vourable anfwer."  I  am  confcious  of  great 
deficiency  in  qualifications,  for  the  office 
and  truft,  to  which  you  have  invited  me. 
D  D  The 

*  Literary  Diary. 


c^iS  THE    LIF]E    OF 

The  employment  is  (o  difficult  and  weigtitf , 
that  I  diftruft  my  abilities  to  difcharge  it, 
with  that  lifefulnefs  and  dignity,  which  may- 
render  me  acceptable  to  yciti^  and  the  ptib- 
lic.  It  is  of  great  importance,  that  the  head 
of  the  college  be  acceptable  to  the  Fellows^ 
to  the  body  of  the  churches  and  pallors,  to 
the  General  Affembly,  and  the  people  at 
large.  And,  although  Mr.  johnfon  hfds 
given  me  a  favourable  reprefentation,  ^s  to 
the  profpedl  I  might  entertain  of  this  ; 
yet,  for  a  more  full  fatisfadtioh,  t  have 
Ihought  it  prudent  and  expedient  to  make 
a  journey  into  Connedticut,  and  refer  the 
matter  to  farther  confideration,  when  I  may 
have  had  an  interview  with  the  Corporation, 
at  their  meeting  next  month.  A  concur-* 
rence  of  the  public  fentiment,  on  this  occa- 
fion,  would  greatly  contribute  towards  in- 
dicating the  path  of  duty,  upon  this  im- 
portant call  of  Divine  Providence.  For  as, 
on  the  one  hand,  if  there  ihould  appear  any 
confiderable  diffatisfa^tion  in  the  public,  it 
would  determine  me  to  decline  the  office ; 
fo,  on  the  other  hand,  a  general  free  acqui- 
efcence,  with  other  openings  of  Providence, 
and  particularly  the  confentof  the  fcattered 

remnant 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       219 

remnant   cf   my   dear   flock,   would  have 
great  weight  in  determining  ray  acceptance- 
May  the  Father  of  lights  condud;  us  all,  by 
his  unerring  wifdom,,  in  this  momentous  af- 
fair ;  and  give  it  fui:h  a  direOiion  and  iffue, 
as  may  belt  fubierve  his  glory,  and  the  ad-? 
vancement  of  religion  and  literatureo 
I  am.  Gentlemen^ 
With  great  refpe£t, 
Your  moft  obedient, 
very  humble  Servant, 

EZRA  stiles;* 

Portsmouth,  Ocl.  2,  i777» 

At  the  fame  time  he  wrote  letters  to  fdme 
principal  members  of  his  Newport  congre- 
gation, r^quefting  them  to  call  a  meeting 
of  as  many  of  the  Society  as  could  be  col- 
lected, that  he  might  lay  before  them  his 
call  to  the  prefidency. 

On  the  20th  of  this  month  he  fet  out 
for  Connecticut ;  and,  on  the  5th  of  No- 
vember, was  introduced  to  the  Corporation. 
On  the  day  following,  they  unanimoufly 
eleded  him  Profeffor  of  Ecclefjaftical  Hifto- 
ry,  in  conjunction  with  the  prefidency. 
He  "  very  fully  laid  before  them  all  his 
own  deficiencies,  and  what  they  mult  not 

expeCt 


220  THE    LIFE    OF 

exped  from  him ;  particularly,  his  infirm 
health,  want  of  talents  for  government,  and 
doubts  of  becoming  acceptable  to  the  min- 
ifters,  the  Aflembly,  and  the  public.  He 
alfo  communicated  to  them  his  fentiments 
in  religion,  both  with  refpedl  to  the  fyftem 
of  theology,  and  ecclefiaftical  polity,  and 
defired  them  particularly  to  confider  where- 
in he  coincided  with  and  differed  from 
others.'*  "  I  did  this,"  faith  he,  «  with  all 
fmcerity,  as  in  the  prefence  of  God.  I  re- 
quefted  them  to  take  full  knowledge  of  me, 
on  thefe  and  all  other  accounts,  and  to  in- 
terrogate me  to  their  full  fatisfa<51:ion." 

Thus  cautious  was  he  in  undertaking  fo 
great  a  charge  ;  thus  ingenuous  in  acknowl- 
edging his  frailties  ;  and  thus  tenderly  fe- 
licitous to  learn  the  difpofition  of  all  claffes 
cf  community,  with  refpe<£b  to  his  entrance 
on  an  office,  the  duties  of  which  he  efti- 
mated  to  be  beyond  his  abilities,  and  the 
labours  of  which  he  judged  to  be  beyond 
his  fcrength.  His  concern  to  know  the 
voice  of  the  public,  in  concurrence  with 
other  weighty  reafons,  led  him  to  requeft 
the  Corporation  an  indulgence  of  a  longer 
time  for  his    anfwer ;    and  the  conclulion 

was. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         221 

was,  to  defer  it  till  toward  fpring.  "  I  have 
endeavoured,"  faith  he,  "  to  a<St  on  this  mo- 
mentous affair  in  the  moft  prudent  manner, 
and  vv^ith  deliberation  ;  well  knowing  it  to 
be  very  weighty  and  important.  May  the 
Father  of  lights,  the  Fountain  of  unerring 
wifdom,  impart  light  and  guidance,  and 
fuch  a  final  decifion  as  fhall  be  for  his  glory 
and  my  ufefulnefs  !    Amen."* 

PalTmg  through  Lebanon,  on  his  return 
to  Portfmouth,  he  waited  on  Governor 
Trumbull.  Invited  to  an  im.portant  office 
within  the  State,  over  which  he  prefided,  he 
"  held  it  his  duty  to  pay  his  refpedts  to  the 
firfl  magiflrate,  and  refer  himfelf  to  his  wif- 
dom and  advice,  in  the  affair."  The  Gov- 
ernor, vv^ith  great  cordiality,  approved  the 
choice,  and  wifhed  him  to  accept  it ;  alTur- 
ing  him  of  all  the  kind  offices  in  his  power, 
and  his  influence  with  the  Affembly. 

By  this  tour,  in  which  he  took  peculiar 
pains,  in  every  delicate  method,  to  afcertain 
the  fenfe  of  the  community  on  the  fubjedt 
of  his  election,  he  became  convinced  that 
there  was  a  fmgular  unanimity  in  favour  of 
the  choice. 

A  meeting 

*  Literary  Diary. 


532  THE    LIFE    OF 

A  meeting  of  his  Newport  Society  wa& 
publicly  iiotifiedj  by  his  defire,  for  the. 
pui-pofe  of  coafuit^tion  on  the  call  to  the 
prefidency.  In  his  letter  to  the  Society,  re^ 
quelling  this  meeting,  he  flates,  with  great 
tendernefs,  "  this  important  affair,  which 
repealed  the  continuaiiice,  or  diffoiution,  of 
his  paftoral  relation."  He  informs  them, 
that  he  had  not  yet  fufhcient  knowledge, 
"  to  determine  his  judgment,  whether  he 
fliould  confider  it  his  duty  to  afk  their  con- 
fent  to  refign  the  miniilry  among  a  people, 
firom  whom  he  had  received  fo  many  tokens 
of  friendfliip  and  refpedl,  for  above  twenty 
years.'*  He  is  defirous,  however,  "to 
know  w^hether,  if,  on  confulting  with  the 
minifters  of  his  Affociation  and  others,  it 
ihould  be  the  general  opinion,  that  the  in- 
terefts  of  Religion  and  Learning  may  be 
fubferved  by  his  removal  to  the  college  at 
New-Haven,  they  would  be  pleafed  to  af- 
fent  and  concur,  both  for  themfelves,  and 
for  the  Church  and  Congregation,  fo  fur  as, 
in  thefe  tumultuous  times,  they  could  be 
fuppofed  to  reprefent  them."  He  affures 
them,  "  it  is  with  very  tender  and  fenfible 
regret,  th^t  he  thinks  of  parting  with  his  be- 
loved 


PHESIDENT  STILES.       iij 

loved  flock';  and,  iKould  a  feparatitin  take 
place,  he  prays  that  the  glory  of  God  tnight 
be  the  higheft  operative  principle  in  his 
breaft,  and  that  they  might  be  happy  iil  a 
hiuch  more  ufeful  paftor." 

The  Society  beiftg  prevented  from  the 
propofed  confultation,  by  the  inclemency  of 
the  feafon,  and  its  oWn  diiperfed  flate,  he 
obtained  the  private  judgment  and  advice 
of  fome  of  its  mofl  influential  members. 
His  worthy  and  refpe^lable  parifhioner  and 
friend,  the  Honourable  William  Ellery,  a 
iTiember  of  congrefs,  writes  from  York- 
Town  :  **  I  wifh  there  v/ere  a  profpe€k  of 
ypur.  Newport  flock  ever  returning  ;  but 
alas  !  they  are  fcattered  up  and  down  the 
land,  like  fheep  without  a  ihepherd ;  and 
it  is  probable  that  many  of  them  will  nev- 
er return  to  Newport.  If  I  could  forefce 
that,  in  the  courfe  of  a  few  years,  there 
would  be  enough  of  them  to  give  you  a 
comfortable  fupport,  I  ihould  not  hefitate 
to  defire  you  not  to  accept  the  prefidency 
of  Yale  College,  and  to  refufe  to  fettle  at 
Portfmouth,  or  any  where  elfe  ;  for  I  do  not 
know  any  place  where,  if  your  family  could 
be  comfortably  fubfiflied,  you  would  be  fa 

happy 


224  THE    LIFE    OF 

happy  as  at  Newport ;  and  I  am  perfuaded 
that  our  Congregation  will  never  find  a 
minifter  whom  they  will  fo  univerfally  love 
and  refped: :  but  this  is  fo  improbable,  that, 
in  conndering  the  fubje6t  of  your  election, 

it   ought    not    to    weigh    much." The 

Honourable  Henry  Marchant,  another  wor- 
thy and  refpedlable  parifhioner  and  friend, 
then  a  member  of  congrefs,  writes  to  the 
fame  purpofe :  "  As  this  matter  cannot  be 
condudted  in  the  regular  order,  which,  un- 
der other  circumftances,  might  be  thought 
eflentially  neceflary,  it  muft  be  left  to  fuch 
advice  as  you  have  received  from  your 
friends  and  flock,  and  to  your  own  good 
fenfe,  affifted,  as  I  pray  you  may  be,  by  the 
divine  Spirit.  The  uncertainty  when  any 
of  the  flock  fhall  be  allowed  to  return,  mufl: 
make  it  unreafonable  in  us  to  keep  any  re- 
iiraint  upon  you." 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

«  THROUGH  the  care  and  patience  of 
a  holy  God,  I  am,  this  day,  fifty  years  old. 
God  hath  gracioufly  taken  care  of  me,  all 
my  life,  to  this  day.     How  little  have  I 

lived 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       2:^s 

lived  to  his  glory  in  the  world  ?  It  is  my 
grcateft  happinefs  to  entertain  fome  hopes, 
that,  in  my  fhort  pilgrimage  ort  earth,  in 
this  ftate  of  exiftence,  preparatory  to  eter- 
nity, I  have  experienced  a  work  of  grace 
on  my  heart,  and  been  brought  to  a  faving 
acquaintance  with  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift. 
His  perfon  is  to  me  mod  excellent,  truly' 
adorable,  and  altogether  lovely.  His  meritj 
atonement,  and  righteoufnefs,  are  all  the 
foundation  of  my  juftification,  and  the  joy 
and  glory  of  my  life.  I  think  the  collec- 
tive excellency,  transfufed  through  the  uni- 
verfe,  does  not,  would  not,  command  a 
love  in  my  mind,  equal  to  the  fupreme  af- 
fedtion  with  which  I  love  the  all-glorious 
Jehovah.  His  will  I  wifh  to  reign  in  me, 
through  time  and  eternity* 

"  It  has  pleafed  God  to  caufe  me  to  ex- 
perience a  great  variety  of  his  loving-kind- 
nefs,  and  gracious  proted:ion,  the  year  paft. 
While  a  third  part  of  my  Church  and  Con^ 
gregation  has  been  {hut  up  by  the  enemy, 
in  Newport,  I  have  enjoyed  liberty,  and 
been  gracioully  provided  for.  Unexped:-^ 
edly,  when  the  door  of  ufefulnefs  in  New- 
port was  Ihut  up,  and  when  my  circum^* 
E  E  fiances 


22^         THE    LIFE    OjP 

ftances  at  Dighton  were  ftraight,  God  was 
pleafed  to  open  two  doors  for  my  labours. 
His  providence  feemed  to  open  my  way 
mofl  clearly  for  Portfmouth.  It  has  pleafed 
Him  to  blefs  me,  and  my  family,  with 
health.  I  have  here  good  advantages  for 
the  education  of  my  children.  May  the 
God  of  their  father  blefs  them  with  cov- 
enant bleffings. 

"  The  feverities  of  this  campaign  have 
deluged  a  great  part  of  my  country  with 
blood  ;  but  I  and  my  houfe  have  hitherto 
teen  blefled  with  fecurity.  I  have  lived  to 
fee  the  wonderful  interpofure  of  a  gracious 
Providence  for  this  bleeding  land,  the  mofl 
fignal  inftance  of  which  was  the  conqueft  of 
General  Burgoyne  j  who,  with  his  whole 
northern  army,  fell  into  our  hands,  the  1 7th 
of  October.  May  God  perfed:  the  deliv- 
erance of  the  United  States,  and  the  eftab- 
lifhment  of  their  independency  !— 
»  *'  I  am  happily  fettled,  and  had  no  ex- 
pe<Sbation  of  removal,  till  it  might  pleafe 
God  to  re-gather  at  Newport  my  dear  flock, 
to  which  I  might  again  return,  and  minifter 
in  holy  things,  as  my  paftoral  relation'  to  it 
is  not  diflblved.     But,  as  if  Providence  had 

fome 


PRESIDENT  STILES,      ±2f 

fome  greater  work  for  me  yet  to  do,  an-* 
other  door  of  ufefulnefs  and  labour  is  open- 
ed, by  my  ele£bion  to  the  prefidency  of 
Yale  College.  What  God  is  about  to  do 
with  me,  I  know  not.  t  vA(h  to  be  difpof- 
cd  of  only  to  his  glory.  This  call  was  en- 
tirely unexpected.  What  am  I,  and  what 
is  my  father's  houfe,  that  I  fhould  be  called 
to  this  important  and  weighty  office  ?  If  I 
Jcnew  the  will  of  Heaven,  I  think  I  could 
give  up  myfelf  tO  follow  5t  In  many 
things,  I  am  unqualified  for  either  the  min- 
iftry  or  the  prefidency.  I  have  but  a  rem- 
nant of  life  left,  to  hope  to  be  a  little  ufeful 
in  either.  I  am  happy  and  in  peace,  in  the 
one ;  it  is  uncertain  whether  I  fhould  be,  in 
the  other.  I  have  advifed  with  the  Rhode- 
Ifland  Aflbciation,  and  with  the  fcatterecf 
remnant  of  my  dear  flock,  and  lam  ftill 
waiting  upon  the  voice  of  the  public.  I 
hope  God  will  give  me  light  and  direction. 
Should  I  remove  to  the  College,  I  defire,  in 
a  humble  appeal  to  God,  and  reliance  on 
fhe  ftrength  of  Jefus,  to  fay  as  on  my  re^ 
moval  hither :  O  God,  if  thy  prefence  ^o 
not  up  with  me,  carry  me  not  up  hence.  If 
this  is  not  of  God,  I  pray  him  to  interpofe 

obftruclions 


228  THE    LIFE    OF 

obflrucftlons  efFe<3:ually  to  prevent  it. 
-—I  cannot  but  take  notice  of  a  feemingly 
preparatory  fentiment,  which  arofe  in  my 
mind,  a  few  weeks  before  my  election,  and 
at  a  time  when  I  had  not  the  leaft  thought 
of  its  being  in  agitation.  For  feveral  years 
paft,  I  have  been  defirous  of  retiring  more 
and  more  from  the  world  into  a  eahn  and 
pious  obfoirity^  that  I  might  fpend  the  reft 
of  my  days  in  a  more  clofe  walk  with  God, 
-and  intercourfe  with  heaven.  And^  wh.en 
fomething  {imilar  to  a  difcontented  and 
murmuring  fpirit  arofe  in  my  mind,  on  ac-^ 
count  of  the  labours  of  the  miniftry,  and 
weighty  cares,  to  which  the  overfight  and 
charge  of  a  large  congregation  of  250  fam- 
ilies incelTantly  called  me,  I  was  checked 
with  a  fentiment,  which  rofe  in  my  mind : 
*.Why  fhould  I  repine  at  a  ;fhort  life  ;of 
the  moft  laborious  ajftivity,  for  the  glory  of 
Jefus,  and  the  falvation  of  precious  and  im-J 
mortal  fouls  ?  It  will  be  foon  over,  and^  I 
{hall  be  at  r^ft.  Is  there  not  a  whole  eter- 
nity to  reft  in  ?  Is.  not  this  enough,  and 
more  than  enough  ?  Let  me  gird  up  my 
loins,  and  devote  myfelf,  with  zeal^  cheer-. 
fulnefs,  and  ^dlivity,  to  my  Lord's  work,^ 

This 


PRESIDENT   STILES.       229 

This  calmed  my  mind  ;  and  has  often  oc- 
curred, now  that  I  am  called  to  think  of 
the  laborious  office  of  the  prefidency.  I 
dcfire  to  commit  my  ways  to  the  guidance, 
overruling  direction,  and  bleffing,  of  a  ho- 
ly God.     Ezra  vii.  10." 


j'l,  D.  M,DCC,LXXVIIL— iExAT.  LI. 

HAVING  confulted  the  mimflers  of  B  of- 
ten, with  feveral  of  whom  he  was  intimately 
acquainted,  and  whom,  as  a  body,  he  greatly 
refpeded  ;  he  received  a  letter  from  Dr. 
Chauncy,  in  January,  containing  their  judg- 
ment, advifmg  and  preffing  his  acceptance 
of  the  prefidency. 

On  the  27th,  he  was  unanimoufly  invit- 
ed to  a  fettlement  in  Portfmouth.  This  in- 
vitation created  a  new  perplexity.  De- 
lighted with  the  miniftry,  this  proof  of  the 
acceptablenefs  of  his  perfon  and  minifterial 
fervices,  in  connexion  with  the  evident  fuc- 
cefs  of  his  labours  in  this  plac€,  ftrengthened 
his  prediledlion  for  the  facred  office.  Such 
was  his  hefitancy  in  deciding  what  would 
be  his    own  choice*  and,   efpecially,  what 

would 


2^6  THE    LIFE    O]^ 

would  be  the  line  of  his  duty,  in  this  dubi-. 
ous  cafe,  that  he  wrote,  without  delay,  to 
the  fenior  member  of  the  Corporation  of 
Yale  College,  begging  leave  to  defer  his  an- 
fwer  a  few  weeks  longer.  In  this  letter,  h6 
exprefTes  his  "  defire  to  be  at  the  difpofal  of 
Providence,  whether  in  the  work  of  the 
miniftry,  or  in  the  prefidency ;  in  either  of 
which,"  he  obferves,  "  I  wifh  to  be  devoted 
to  the  fervice  of  the  churches.** 

While  he  importunately  fought  divine 
diredion^  he  tenewedly  afked  counfel  of  his 
judicioiis  and  Chriftian  friends*  Among 
others,  he  addrefled  the  paftors  of  the  Bof- 
ton  Aflbciation,  "  begging  leave  to  reqtieft 
their  opinion  and  advice  ;  and  that  they 
would  afford  him  that  light,  which  theif 
knov^fledge  and  comprehenfive  view  of  the 
ftate  of  the  churches,  religion,  and  learnings 
would  enable  them  to  impart.'* In  a  let- 
ter to  Governor  Trumbull  is  the  following 
paragraph,  which  they,  who  well  knew  the 
writer,  will  not  fufpedt  to  be  the  language 
of  affeded  modefty  :  **  I  greatly  diftruft  my. 
abilities  for  the  prefidency.  I  am  confciou^ 
of  many  irremediable  defeds.  Shall  I  ex* 
change   the   profpeO:   of  happinefs  in  the 

miniftry, 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        2^t 

minlftry-j  for  an  office  full  of  weighty  cares^ 
in  which  it  has  been  repeatedly  proved  to 
be  impoffible  to  give  fatisfadion  ?" 

After  every  confultation,  however,  hts 
principal  reliance  was  on  t/^e  wi/dom  which 
is  front  above*  In  addition  to  his  daily  fup- 
plications  to  God,  for  divine  diredion,  he 
now  fpent  a  day  in  private  fading  and  pray- 
er, to  feek  ccunfel  of  Heaven. 

Mod  of  his  Newport  congregation,  who 
exprefled  to  him  their  fentiments  on  the 
fubje(ft  now  under  contemplation,  manifeft- 
ed  great  candour,  and  all  of  them  the  ten-' 
dernefs  of  afFedion. 

Dr.  Chauncy,  in  a  letter,  informs  him, 
that  he  knows  of  none,  but  who  rejoice  at 
his  eledbion  to  the  prefidency,  and  unite 
in  the  opinion,  that  he  is  loudly  called,  in 
providence,  to  accept  of  the  appointment. 
This,  he  aflures  him,  is  the  unanimous  opin- 
ion of  the  Bofton  Aflbciation,  to  which  he 
communicated  his  letter. 

Obferving  the  26th  of  February  as  an- 
other day  of  private  fading  and  prayer,  he 
alked  counfel  of  unerring  Wifdom,  defir- 
ing  that  efficacious  and  fufficient  obdruc- 
tions  might  be  laid  in  his  way,  to  prevent 

his 


232  THE    LIFE    OF 

his  taking  any  courfe  contrary  to  the  di- 
\^ine  will  ;  that  a  concurrence  of  perfonal 
and  public  nibtives  might  indicate  his  duty  5 
and  that  he  might  difcern  the  true  reafons 
wherefore  divine  Providence  has  permitted 
the  prefent  good  offers,  arid  which  it  was 
the  divine  will  that  he  ihould  accept. 
Whethel"  i.  God  gave  him  the  call  at  Portf- 
mouth,  to  give  him  a  better  reception  in 
ConneiSticut ;  fliewing  that  it  was  not  a  mat- 
ter of  neceffity,  that  fhould  induce  him  to 
the  prefidency,  fmce  he  fhculd  be  well  pro- 
vided for  here. — ^Or,  2*  Whether  to  try  his 
own  heart,  and  for  the  proof  of  the  real 
fpirit  within  him*  "  I  might,"  he  obfei-ves, 
"  have  thought,  and  faid,  I  fhould  not  have 
accepted  the  prefidency,  had  an  efFe£tual 
door  been  opened  for  the  miniftry.  I  am 
now  cut  off  from  this  felf-deception.'* — 
Or,  3.  Whether  it  is  the  real  will  of  Heaven, 
that  he  fhould  abide  in  the  miniflry ;  and 
fo  the  eledion  to  the  prefidency  defigned 
by  Providence  to  ftimulate  the  choice  and 
call  here." — ' — With  fuch  religious  attention 
did  he  notice  the  footfteps  of  divine  Provi- 
dence ;  and  with  fuch  diligent  fcrutiny  did 
he  examine  the  motives  by  which  he  was 

aduated 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        233 

adluated  in  deciding  on  fubjeds  of  mag- 
nitude ! 

A  letter  from  the  fcribe  of  the  Corpora- 
tion, received  the  next  day,  contributed  to- 
wards his  decifion.  It  exprefled  the  earneft 
and  united  defire  of  the  Corporation,  that  he 
would,  as  foon  as  might  be,  give  an  anfwer 
to  their  call ;  and  afTured  him,  that,  as  far  as 
they  were  acquainted,  his  appointment  was 
agreeable  to  the  Miniftry,  to  the  General  Af- 
fembly,  and  to  the  State.  "  On  our  part," 
adds  the  fcribe,  "  I  am  authorized  to  aflure 
you,  that  it  will  be  the  endeavour  of  all  the 
members  of  the  Corporation  to  fupport  you 
in  the  office  to  which  they  have  invited  you  ; 
and,  as  far  as  pofTible,  to  bear  every  burden 
with  you,  and  render  your  fituation  eafy  and 
comfoitable." 

On  the  1 8th  of  March,  having  devoted 
the  three  preceding  days  to  prayer  and  fup- 
plication,  during  which  period  he  was  "  in 
great  anxiety,"  he  gave  an  anfwer  to  the  So- 
ciety in  Portfmouth.  "  On  a  full  view  of 
the  whole  matter,  and  comparifon  of  all  cir- 
cumftances,"  he  obfer^^es  to  them,  "  I  have 
rather  thought  it  the  will  of  God,  that  I 
Ihould  fpend  the  momentary  remnant  of  my 
f  F  days 


234  THE    LIFE    Of 

days  in  promoting  learning,  in  conjun<Stion 
Tsrith  religion,  and  in  forming  the  rifing 
hopes  of  our  country  for  ufefulneis,  in  Church 
and  State.  And,  therefore,  though  with  dif- 
fidence and  uncertainty  whether  I  flvall  make 
a  right  choice  j  yet^  with  humble  reference 
of  myfelf  to  the  difpofal  and  blefling  of 
HeaTen,  i  have  concluded  to  accept  the  prefi- 
^ency,  I  return  you  my  thanks  for  all  the  tef- 
timonies  of  your  friendfhip  and  affection  ; 
and  fincerely  commend  you  to  the  bleffing 
of  Jefus,  I  pray  God  to  fend  you  a  paftor  of 
evangelical  principles,  and  amiable  manners, 
and  of  a  truly  apoflolic  fpirit,  in  whom  you 
may  be  long  happy,  happier  than  in  me.." 

The  people  of  Portfmouth  were  fo  tender- 
ly affected  at  the  reception  of  this  negative 
anfwer,  that,  with  prelling  importunity,  they 
urged  him  to  re-confider  the  fubjetSt ;  plead-* 
ing  their  unanimity  and  the  prefent  fuccefs 
of  his  labour&  in  adual  additions  to  the 
chm-ch,  and  in  the  profped,  from  a  prevail- 
ing ferioufnefs,.  of  more  numerous  additions. 
This  renew^ed  application,  enforced  by  fuch 
arguments^  awakened  his  tendered  fenfibili- 
tics,  and  created  another  fufpenfe.  He, 
therefore,  fet  apart  another  day  of  private 

fafting 


PRESIDENT  STILESo       235 

failing  and  prayer,  **  to  feek  of  God  light  and 
du'edlion,  that  he  might  know  the  good  and 
acceptable  wUl  of  the  Lord."  In  his  reflec- 
tions, on  this  occafion,  he  aiks  :  "  What 
could  I  dehre  more  ?  Have  I  not  cordially 
devoted  myf'eif  to  a  paflorai  employment, 
which  I  love  from  my  heart  ?  Am  I  not  in 
the  midfl  of  harveft,  of  an  in-gathering  of 
fouls,  as  blefled  feals  of  a  moft  imperfed: 
miniftry  ?  Is  it  not  the  voice  of  the  chief 
Shepherd :  Feed  my  fiock^  myjhup^  my  lambs ; 
gird  up  thy  loins ^  and  labour  ;  there  is  ^work 
€nough  ;  why  leave  the  vineyard  in  the  viidji 
cf  a  vintage  T'  Mentioning  honours,  he  ob- 
ferves :  "  Honours,  long  enjoyed,  lofe  their 
reUih,  efpecialiy  after  a  man  is  turned  of  fif- 
ty, and  is  really  bound  for  heaven,  and  the 
immortal  honours  of  the  celeftiai  world.'* 

His  recent  doubts  being,  at  length,  fo  far 
difpelled,  that  he  judged  it  his  incumbent 
duty,  to  accept  the  prefidency  ;  on  the  19th 
of  March,  he  relinquifhed  his  paftoral  charge, 
and  bade  farewell  to  his  Church  and  Coa- 
gregation  in  New^^ort.  His  valedidlory 
Addrefs  is  replete  with  expreflions  of  paftor/ti* 
tendernefs,  and  exhibits  a  moft  in tere fling- 
"view  of  his  minifterial  character.     On  the: 

d-av 


22,^  THE    LIFE    OF 

day  following,  he  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Cor- 
poration of  Yale  College,  declaring  his  ac- 
ceptance of  the  prefidency.  After  an  in- 
trodudtion,  expreffive  of  his  diffidence  and 
humility,  he  obferves  :  "  In  the  view  of 
omnifcient  Wifdom,  there  is  a  certain  fphere 
of  activity  adapted  to  every  in.telligent  be- 
ing ;  in  which  it  would  be  wifeft  and  beft, 
that  is,  moil  for  the  glory  of  God,  that  he 
fhould  be  employed.  If  I  know  my  own 
heart,  my  wifh  is  to  be  found  in  this  fphere 
— to  take  that  ftation,  in  which  1  may  a<£t 
moft  to  the  glory  of  God,  our  higheft  and 
laft  end.  It  was  this  fupreme  motive  that 
took  me  from  the  Law,  and  carried  me  into 
the  Miniftry  :  I  pray  God  this  may  operate 
in  me,  through  time  and  eternity.  I  have 
had  an  ample  tafte  of  the  world,  and  public 
life  ;  and,  for  feveral  years,  have  had  an  ln> 
creafmg  inclination  for  an  unnoticed  retire- 
ment, as  far  as  would  be  confiftent  with  ftill 
teftifying  the  grace  of  the  Gofpel.  For  the 
reft,  I  fhould  wifh  to  live  out  of  the  world, 
that  I  might  live  more  to  God.  And  yet,, 
God  is  calling  me  to  more  extended  labours. 

. — 1  am  defirous  of  viewing  this  matter, 

not  in  a  fecular,  but  in  a  religious  light.    Aa 

ta 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        237 

to  intereft,  either  office  furnilhes,  at  beft,  only 
a  decent  fubfiftence.  To  one,  who  has  been 
crowned  with  the  academic  honours  to  fatie- 
ty,  the  fuperadded  one  of  the  prelidency  will 
appear  more   than  balanced,  by  its  inceflant 

labours,   and    weighty   cares. On    what 

principles,  then,  {hall  I  form  my  judgment  ? 
There  is  none  left  but  duty,  and  the  will  of 
Heaven,  not,  in  this  cafe,  at  all  indicated  by 
fecular  intereft. The  furprifmg  con- 
currence of  the  public  voice,  and,  I  hope,  an 
influence  from  above,  incline  and  even  con- 
ftrain  me  to  view  your  invitation  as  the  will 
of  God,  and  the  ordering  of  Heaven.  And, 
accordingly,  with  humble  reliance  on  the 
grace  of  God,  I  do  now  hereby  fignify  to 
the  reverend  Corporation,  my  acceptance  of 
the  prefidency  of  Yale  College." 

Before  we  follow  the  Dodlor  to  the  prefi- 
dential  office,  it  may  be  inftru6tive  to  collect 
into  one  view,  thofe  traits  of  his  paftoral 
character,  which  have  been  fcattered  through 
thefe  memoirs  ;  and  to  delineate  others, 
which,  in  a  narrative  of  fadks,  could  not  be 
exhibited.  His  early  difcourfes  were  philo- 
fophical  and  moral  ;  and,  at  firft,  "  he  was 
not  fo  much  admired  as  a   preacher,  as  he 

was. 


238  THE    LIFE    OF 

was,  as  a  friend,  gentleman,  and  fcholan*'* 
But,  gradually  becoming  kfs  a  Newtonian, 
and  more  a  Chrijiian^  ''he  became  a  feri- 
ous,  zealous,  and  powerful  preacher  of  the 

momentous  truths  of  the  gofpel. It  has 

been  faid,  that  he  did  not  excel  in  prayer, 
and  had  Uttle  of  that  holy  freedom,  for  which 
he  was  afterwards  fo  diftinguifhed/'f. 

Nor  were  his  religious  principles  fo  well 
fettled  in  early  life,  as  he  had  imagined. 
Hence,  after  he  commenced  preaching,  he 
was,  for  a  time,  perplexed  with  the  compli- 
cated fubtilties  of  fcepticifra.  Solicitous  to 
build  his  religious  faith  on  a  firm  foundation, 
he  fufpended  his  theological  fer\"ices,  and  ap- 
plied himfelf  diligently  and  prayerfully  to 
the  ftudy  of  the  Scriptures.  No  fooner  were 
his  perplexities  removed,  than  he  entered 
again,  with  enlightened  zeal,  into  the  fervice 
of  the  Gofpel.  We  believe^  and  therefore 
fpeak^  was  an  apoftolical  principle  ;  and  he 
followed  the  excellent  example.  However 
unimportant  it  may  appear  to  fome,  that  a 
minifter  of  religion  Ihould  firmly  believe  the 
do<^ines  which  he  teaches,  and  be  perfon- 

ally 

*  Reverend  Dr.  Trumbull's  Letter  to  the  Compiler 
t  Ibid. 


PRESIDENT   STILES.       259 

ally  impreffed  by  them ;  it  cannot  be  denied, 
that  fuch  a  belief  and  impreflion  are  gene- 
rally of  high  importance  to  a  fuccefsful  min- 
iftry. '  He  who  is  convinced  that  the  religion 
of  the  Gofpel  is  true,  and  who  has  experi- 
mentally found  it  to  be  the  power  of  God  to 
his  own  falvat'ioriy  will  explain  its  doctrines, 
with  a  perfpicuity,  and  inculcate  its  precepts^ 
with  an  energy,  not  eafily  imitated,  and 
never  equalled,  by  one,  Vv^ho  has  no  fuch 
convi(f^ion  of  the  truth,  and  who  is  a  ftranger 
to  its  fan<ftifying  influence. 

Diftinguiihed  as  the  Do£lof  was,  for  min- 
ifterial  abilities,  he  affiduoufly  cultivated  thens 
by  reading,  meditation,  and  prayer  j  and  rich 
was  the  fruit  of  this  holy  diligence,  "  As  a 
tlieologian,  Ezra  the  pr'ieji  was  a  perfeSi 
fcribe  of  the  law  of  the  God  of  heaven^  after 
the  wifdom  of  God  in  him.  Preparing  his 
heart  to  do  and  teach  the  law  of  his  God,  he 
was  eloquent  and  mighty  in  the  Scriptures  ; 
both  a  hiirnhig  and  a  fhinittg  lightr'^ 

Furnifhed  with  a  rich  treafure  of  learn- 
ing, he  made  it  auxiliary,  as  the  fubjedb  re- 
quired, to  the  elucidation  of  religious  truth  ; 

but 

*  Reverend  Dr.  Dana's  Sermon,  at  the  Interment  of 
Prelident  Stiles. 


HO  THE    LIFE    OF 

but  never  difplayed  it,  in  the  pulpit,  with 
oftentation.  "  Inftead  of  aiming  at  excellen- 
cy of  fpeech,  lor  a  philofophical  difcufTion  of 
religious  fubjedls,  he  was  a  plain,  practical, 
pungent  preacher  of  the  gofpel  of  the  grace 
of  God."* 

The  fubjedts  on  which  he  generally  preach- 
ed, were  fuch  as  he  apprehended  to  be  moft 
important  in  their  nature,  and  moft  infifted 
on  in  the  facred  oracles.  "  To  a  mind  well 
informed  in  the  great  fyftem  of  gofpel  truth, 
was  added,  a  firm  attachment  to  the  peculiar 
doctrines  of  grace,  in  their  fimple  fcriptural 
drefs,  unadulterated  by  modern  theological 
{peculations." f  "  In  the  room  of"  labour- 
ed difquifitions,  to  prove  the  rationale  ^  of 
every  Chriftian  doctrine — "  difquifitions*' 
which,  he  obferved,  "  frequently  iffue  in 
avowed  conclufions,  more  hard  to  digeft, 
and  more  fhocking  to  reafon  itfelf,  than  the 
fimple  pofitions  of  the  word" — he  "  em- 
ployed his  time  in  preaching  y^z/VZ?  and  re- 
pentatice — the  great  truths  refpedting  our 
dlfcafe  and  cure — the  Phyfician  of  fouls,  and 

our 

*  Dr.  Dana's  Funeral  Sermon. 

f  Letter  of  the  Rev.  Dr..  Rodgers  to  the  Compiler. 

X  A  term  which  he  ufed,    in  reference  to  thofe  doc- 
trines, the  reafotis  of  which  arc  not  given  in  the  Scriptures. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        241 

cur  remedy  in  Him — ^the  manner  of  a  fin- 
ner's  being  brought  home  to  God  in  regen- 
eration, converlion,  juftification,  fandlifica- 
tion,  and  eternal  glory — the  promifes  of 
future  rewards — the  terrors  and  glories  of 
the  world  to  come — the  influence  of  the 
Spirit  ;  artd  the  efficacy  of  truth,  as  well  as 
of  the  Spirit,  in  the  great  change  of  the 
moral  charadler,  preparatory  for  heaven,  and 
a  glorious  immortality,"* 

The  dodrines  of  the  Trinity  in  Unity,  of 
the  divinity  and  atonement  of  Chrift,  "  with 
the  capital  principles  of  the  great  theological 
fyftem  of  the  doctrines  of  grace,"  he  be- 
lieved to  have  been  *'  the  uninterrupted 
faith  of  eight-tenths  of  Chriftendom,  from 
the  afcenfion  of  Jeflis  to  this  day.  This 
fyftem,"  he  obferved  to  his  flock,  "  I  have 
received  from  God,  in  the  Scriptures  of 
truth  ;  and,  on  the  review  of  my  miniftry, 
I  hope  you  will  find,  that  I  have  preached 
the  unfearchable  riches  of  Chrijir^  On  this 
great  fyftem  of  evangelical  truth,  which  had 
been  "  the  burden  of  his  miniftry  for  many 
G  G  years," 


*  Prefident  Stiles'   Sermon  at  the  Ordination  of  the 
iverend  Mr.  Channing. 

t  Valediclor7  Addisfs. 


^42  THE    LIFE    OF 

years,"  he  cheerfully  refted  his  own  falva-»' 
tion,  and  that  of  thofe  who  had  heard  him. 
"  He  did  not  wiih  to  conceal  his  fentiments, 
or  to  be  mifundei'ftood  in  the  reprefentation  of 
them  ;  but  he  afferted  them  with  franknefs^ 
and  confirmed  them  by  arguments,  the  refult 
of  much  ftudy,  and  recommended  them  with 
a  lively  and  perfuafive  zeal."* 

Exteniive  as  was  his  catholicifm,  his  dif- 
courfes  never  countenanced  prevailing  er- 
rors ;  nor  fan(ftioned  the  opinion,  that  relig- 
ious   fentiments   are   indifferent. Averfe 

to  difputatlon,  and  fcholaftic  fubtilties  in  di- 
vinity, f  inftead  of  difcuffing  theological 
fubjedls  controverfially,  he  chofe  the  happier 
method  of  refuting  error,  by  maintaining 
truth. 

He  had  a;n  afFedionate  concern  for  the 
falvation  of  fmners,  and  for  the  exemplary 
piety   of  faints.     To   promote   both    thefe 

purpofes, 

*  Reverend  Mr.  Patten's  Sermon,  oecaiioned  by  Prefi- 
dent  Stiles'  death. 

f  To  a  new  theological  and  controverfial  worl:,  of 
feme  celebrity,  he  prefixed,  from  Plutarch  :  "  Argutiun- 
eulse  qujE — revera  funt  fallaces  conclufmnculae  ;"  and, 
from  Cicero  :  "  Nee  nos  impediat  ilia  ignava  Ratio  qua: 
dicituf,  appellatur  enim  <^gy&'  f^<>y&-,  cui  fi  pareamus  ni- 
hil agamus  in  vita.'* 


PRESIDENT  STILES,       243 

purpofes,  he  ufed  great  plainnefs  of  fpeech, 
in  his  public  difcourfes,  and  difpenfed  with 
thofe  ornaments  of  language,  which  are 
better  calculated  to  entertain  the  hearer,  than 
to  render  him  wife  to  falvation,  To  the 
carelefs  and  profane  he  was  a  fon  of  thun- 
der ;  to  the  thoughtful  and  ferious,  a  fon  of 
confolation.  The  one  he  perfuaded  by  the 
terrors  of  the  Law  ;  the  other,  by  the  grace 
of  the  Gofpel.  He  "  preached  with  a  com- 
manding eloquence  and  fervour  ;"* — with 
"  that  energy  which  arifes  from  the  fenfation^ 
of  the  heart ;  more  attentive  to  fentiment, 
than  to  the  beauties  of  compofition."*}* 
Hence  his  fermons  were  inflructive  and 
pathetic.  While  to  the  learned  they  were 
acceptable  and  improving ;  to  the  ignorant 
they  were  intelligible,  and  pradlically  ufefuL 
Such  was  the  attention  of  the  iower  clafTes 
of  community  to  his  difcourfes,  and  fuch  the 
fuccefs  of  his  labours  among  them,  that  he 
judged  his  talents  better  adapted  to  promote 
their  improvement,  than  that  of  the  wife 
s^id   great.       He    delighted,    therefore,    in 

preaching 

*  Reverend  Dr.  Trumbull's   Sermon,  occafioned  by 
Prefident  Stiles*  death. 

t  V^lediftory  Addrefs. 


244         THE    LIFE    OF 

preaching  the  Gofpel  to  the  poor.  It  was 
accordingly  obfervable,  that,  during  his 
prefidency,  he  always  preferred  obfcure  vil- 
lages, as  the  fcene  of  his  occafional  miniftra«. 
tions,  to  polite  and  opulent  towns.  This 
preference,  while  it  proves  the  fmcerity  of 
his  zeal  for  the  promotion  of  Chriftianity, 
furniflies  evidence  of  his  humility.  Inftead 
of  human  applaufe,  he  appears  to  have 
fought  the  approbation  of  God,  and  of  his 
own  confcience. 

To  every  clafs  of  peoplg,  compofmg  his. 
paftoral  charge,  he  was  always  acceffible. 
Having  no  greater  joy,  than  to  witnefs  their 
exemplary  converfation  ;  he  was  never  hap- 
pier than  while  employed  in  aiding  their 
progrels  in  yirtue  and  piety.  Pofleffing  the 
happy  talent  of  introducing  religious  fubje<Sts 
into  converfation  with  facility,  he  was  admi- 
rably formed  to  teach  his  congregation,  in 
the  apoftolical  manner,  from  houfe  to  houfCy 
Nor  did  he  negled  the  improvement  of  this 
valuable  talent.  He  frequently  vifited  the 
people  at  their  own  houfes,  and  adapted  his 
counfels  to  their  various  characters  and  con- 
ditions. The  employment,  in  which  he 
found  theni   engaged,   generally   furnifhed 

him 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        245, 

him  ^  fubjecl  either  of  enquiry  or  remark  ; 
from  which  he  foon  palled  to  fome  religious 
fubje(5t,  by  an  eafy  and  natural  tranfition. 
They  who  would  have  obferved  a  profound 
filence  to  others,  on  religion,  became  com- 
municative to  him  without  reftraint.  "  His 
communicative  temper,  and  the  eafe  with 
which  he  adapted  himfelf  to  perfons  in  dif- 
ferent fituations,  and  of  various  charaflers 
and  ages,  connected  with  diftinguifhed  hu- 
mility and  benevolence,  qualified  him  very 
much  to  promote  the  intereft  of  rcligicn  in 
kis  vifits,  to  inftru(5t  the  ignorant,  confole 
the  affliiSted,  reafon  with  the  erroneous,  anc^ 
recal  the  wanderer,  to  engage  the  attention 
of  the  young,- and,  in  general,  to  comjnuni- 
cate  light  and  peace."*  What  he  judged, 
and  inculcated,  as  an  important  branch  of 
minifterial  fervice,  he  himfelf  was  careful  to 
practice.  While  his  prudence  directed  him 
not  to  "  draw  religion  into  difcourfe  on  im- 
proper occafions  ;*'  yet,  having  "  his  Lord's 
work  near  his  heart,  and  carrying  it  always 
about  with  him  in  his  breaft,  he  watched, 
and  frequently  took  opportunities  to,  fuggeft 
to  families,  children,  and  fervants,  fomething 

beneficial  5 

*  Mr,  Patten'*  Funeral  Sermor.. 


246  THE    LIFE    OF 

beneficial  ;  to  remind  them  of  God  ;  the 
folemnities  of  eternity ;  the  love  of  Jefus  j 
the  purity  of  the  Chriftian  morals ;  the 
pleafures  of  true  religion  ;  and  the  great 
things  which  refpe6t  falvation.  Like  our 
Lord  he  was  often  borrowing  pious  inftruc- 
tion  from  the  trees  and  flowers,  from  the 
harveft,  from  the  wind,  from  the  fea,  from 
navigation,  manufactures,  trade,  and  com- 
merce ;  and,  in  a  moft  beautiful  and  happy 
method  of  application,  made  nature  and  art 
preach  the  Gofpel  of  the  kingdom."* 

To  the  children  and  youth  of  his  flock,  he 
was  afFedionately  and  affiduoufly  attentive. 
He  gathered  the  lambs  'with  his  arm^  and 
carried  them  in  his  bofom.  In  addition  to. 
private  counfels,  he  catechifed  the  children 
in  public,  with  frequency  ;  cautioned  them 
againft  their  peculiar  temptations  and  dan- 
gers ;  and  afFedionately  addreffed  them  on 
the  duty  of  early  piety.  At  ftated  feafons, 
he  preached  fuitable  difcourfes,  in  private,  to 
the  young  people,  whom  he  invited  to  afTem- 
ble,  commonly  at  his  own  houfe,  to  receive 
his  inftruClions.  Befides  a  monthly  evening 
ledure,  addreffed  to  his  church,  he  delivered 

a  private 

*  Sermon  at  the  Ordination  of  Mr.  Channing. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        247 

a  private  monthly  difcourfe  to  married  peo- 
ple, who  were  not  communicants.  No  part 
of  his  flock,  therefore,  was  negleded  in  his 
miniftrations. His  affevftionate  fidelity- 
procured  him  the  merited  return  of  the  ten- 
dered efleem.  "  No  minifter  could  be  riiore 
beloved  and  honoured  than  he  was  by  the 
people  of  his  paftoral  charge."* 

In  the  regular  difcipline  of  the  church,  he 
united  zeal  with  difcretion.  The  neceffity 
of  public  cenfures  he  endeavoured,  as  much 
as  poffible,  to  prevent,  by  ftudying  to  heal 
divifions,  and  reclaim  offenders  ;  and,  by  ev- 
ery gentle  method,  to  recover  any,  who  were 
overtaken  in  a  fault,  into  the  bofom  of  the 
church.  "  Moft  matters,"  he  obferved, 
"  may  be  fettled  in  a  private  way,  without 
hazarding  brotherly  love."  If,  however,  an 
official  a(£t  of  cenfure  became  necefTary,  he 
inflicted  it  with  a  tendernefs  and  authority, 
happily  calculated  to  promote  the  religious 
purpofes  of  difcipline. 

In  the  offices  of  devotion,  eipecially  on 
extraordinary  occafions,  he  was  Angularly 
pertinent,  copious,  and  fervent.  "  He  was 
a  man  of  eminence  in  piayer.     In  this  duty 

he 

*  Dr.  Dana's  Funeral  Sermon. 


248  THE    LIFE    OF 

he  often  appeared  to  have  his  heart  Angular- 
ly warmed,  and  raifed  to  a  noble  degree  of 
earneftnefs  and  devotion,  as  though  the  fpirit 
of  adoption  v^as  poured  upon  him."*  "  Sub- 
limely enraptured,  the  pious  attendant  feem- 
ed  borne  on  his  wings  to  the  celeftial  para- 
dife."f     Habitually  devout,  he  was  always 

prepared  to  aid  the  devotion  of  others. • 

In  adminiftering  the  fpecial  ordinances  of  the 
churchy  he  was  peculiarly  folemn  and  pathet« 
ic.  "  From  his  charadler  and  labours,'*  faith 
his  worthy  fuccefTor  in  the  church  at  New- 
port, "  his  memory  will  doubtlefs  be  exten- 
fively  preferred  in  the  world  ;  and  it  will 
long  live  in  this  place.  Scarcely  a  family^ 
nor  an  individual  here,  but  has  reafon,  from 
fome  office  of  good  will,  to  remember  him. 
Not  a  tre^,  nor  a  brook,  nor  a  fcene  around 
us,  but  has  engaged  his  obfervation."  J  May 
the  example  of  this  faithful  minifter  ferve  as 
a  luminary,  which,  while  it  throws  a  luftre 
on  the  facred  office,  fhall  direct  our  courfe 
through  the  difficulties  and  dangers  of  the 
public  miniftry.  ^ 

*  Dr.  Trumbull's  Sermon. 

f  Letter  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Ely,  of  Lebanon,  to 
the  Compiler. 

%  Mr.  Patten's  Sermon. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       1249 

On  the  9th  of  June,  in  fettling  all  Jhis  af- 
fairs for  remov^  to  New-Haven,  he  liberated 
his  negro  man-fervant,  Newport.  He  had 
afliduoufly  inftru<3:ed  him  in  the  Chriftiaa 
principles  ;  and  "  believed  him  to  have  expe- 
rienced a  faving  change  of  heart."  He  nev- 
er afked  for  his  freedom.  It  was  only  the 
mafter's  conviction  of  the  injuftice  and  bar- 
barity of  the  African  flave-trade,  in  which 
this  fervant  had  been  imported,  in  1757,  tliat 
determined  his  condud:.  His  teftimony, 
that  "  he  was  the  beft  of  fervants,"  affords 
one  proof,  among  many^  of  the  falfity  of  the 
opinion,  maintained  by  fome,  who  pofTefs 
flaves,  that  the  knowledge  of  Chriflianity 
renders  fervants  lefs  faithful.  Nothing  is 
more  demonftrable,  than  that  the  moral  and 
religious  precepts  of  the  Gofpel,  duly  regard- 
cd,  have  the  moft  aufpicious  influence  on  ev- 
^ry  ciais  of  human  beings,  and  furnifh  new 
fprings  to  fidelity  in  all  the  relations  of  life. 

This  excellent  fervant   gave  abundant 

proof  of  his  faithfulnefs,  during  the  life  of 
his  mafter.  Such  was  his  attachment  to  him 
and  the  family,  that,  a  few  years  after  their 
removal  from  Portfmouth,  he  followed  them 
to  New- Haven  ;  and,  aS  a  hired  fervant,  eiw 
H  H  tered 


2S0  THE    LIFE    OF 

tered  again  into  their  fervice.  How  highly 
the  Dodtor  eftimated  his  piety,  appears  from 
the  following  anecdote  :  As  he  was  return- 
ing from  the  chapel,  on  a  Lord's  Day,  after 
the  eoiTimunion,  not  long  before  his  deathj 
feeing  this  domeftic  walking  home  from  the 
fame  facred  fervice^  "  There,"  faid  he,  "  is 
Newport ;  if  he  dies  as  he  has  lived,  I  .would 
rather  die  Newport,  than  Aurengzebe." 

He  now  fat  out  with  his  family  for  New- 
Haven.     Arriving  on  the  20th  of  June,  he 
entered  on  the  office  of  the  prefidency.     Hiu 
firft  official  a.dL  was  the  performance  of  pub* 
lie  evening  prayers  in  the  chapel ;  when  the 
Reverend  Warham  Williams,  one  of  the  VqU 
lows,  in  the  name  of  the  Corporation,  com- 
mitted the  college  to  his  care,  giving  him 
power  to  2i€t  with  the  authority  of  a  Prefi- 
dent,  and  ordering  the    fcholars  to  receive 
and  fubmit  to  him  accordingly.     In  addition 
to  the  general  duties  of  the  office,  on  the 
26th  he  took  the  immediate  charge  of  the 
Senior  clafs.     On  Saturday  evening,  he  be- 
gan, in  the  chapel,  an  expofition  of  the  Sa-* 
voy  Confeffion  of  Faith,  which  exereife  he 
regularly  maintained  on  Saturday  evenings, 
during  his  prefidency, 

A  fpecial 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       ^^i 

A  fpecial  occafion  was  foon  prefented  for 
the  prompt  exercife  of  his  dida^ic  talents. 
About  a  week  after  he  undertook  the  tuition 
of  the  Seniors,  he  gave  an  extemporary  lec-^ 
ture  on  the  three  great  principles  of  gravity, 
A  thunder  ftorm  happening,  during  the  lec- 
ture, he  fufpended  that  exercife,  and  explained 
the  ele(ftrical  philofophy  of  thunder  and  light- 
ning, and  then  refumed  and  finiihed  the  dif- 
cuflion  of  the  original  fubjeft.* 

The  day  now  approached,  in  which  he  was 
to  be  formally  induiSted  into  the  office  of  the 
prefidency.  He  confidered  it "  an  important 
day,"  in  which  he  was  "  to  take  the  charge 
of  a  college  primarily  defigned  as  a  fchool  of 
the  prophets,  to  train  up  paftors  for  the 
churches."  Deeply  impreffed  with  the 
weight  of  the  charge,  and  pioufly  folicitous 

to 

*  A  fimilar  incident  took  place  in  1785.  The  ftudents 
being  collefted  in  the  chapel,  and  the  Prefident  feated  in 
the  chair  of  the  ProfefTor  of  Philofophy  ;  a  violent  thunder 
ftorm  came  up  very  fuddenly,  and  threw  them  into  fome 
confternation.  They  fat  till  the  feverity  of  it  abated,  when 
the  Prefideat  laid  afide  his  propofed  ledlure,  and  gave  an 
extemporaneous  one  on  thefe  three  points  :  i .  The  philof- 
ophy of  the  afcent  of  vap£)ur  into  clouds,  and  its  defcent 
in  rain.  2.  The  theory  of  thunder  and  lightning,  accord- 
ing to  the  principles  of  eledlricity.  3.  Dr.  Franklin's 
f  ointed  metallic  rods  for  the  defence  of  buildings  and  fhi^s. 


^^%         THE    LIFE    OF 

to  fecure  the  divine  prefence  and  blefling,  his 
language  is  :    "I  defire  to  be  looking  to  the  j 
great  Head  of  the  church,  to  whom  I  have, 
long  ago,  dedicated  myfelf,  and  to  whom  I 
defire  afrefh  to  devote  all  my  heart,  implor- 
ing his  bleffing  on  the  great  tranfadtion  of 
the  morrow  ;  that  I  may  afTume  the  prefidenr- 
cy  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  with  a  primary  and 
ultimate  view  to  his  glory,  and  to  the  inter- 
eft  of  the  blefled  Redeemer,  as  well  as  to  the 
caufe  of  literature.     I  would  alfo  undertake 
it  in  the  ftrength  of  Jefus  ;  and  pray  that  it 
may  have  been  of  his  holy  direction,  and 
with  his  divine  approbation  and  blefling,     I 
have  a  difficult  work  to  accompliih,  fimilar, 
in  many  relpedts,  to  the  facerdotal  office  ;  ef- 
pecially  do  I  become  accountable  for  the  for- 
mation of  fome  who  may  go  into  the  minif- 
try,  and  who  may  adopt  their  religious  prin- 
ciples from  me  ;  if  they  fhould  be  erroneous, 
how  fhall  I  anfwer  it,  at  the  laft  great  day  ? 
Bleffed  be  God,  I  hope  I  am  fo  well  affiired 
of  the  great  principles  of  my  faith,  efpecially 
of  the  capital  doctrines  of  the  divinity  and 
atonement  of  Chrift,  and,  in  general,  the  doc- 
trines of  grace,  that  I  can  propagate  tliem 
with  an   undoubted  confidence  of  finding 

them 


PRESIDENT   STILES.       253 

them  true,  ten  thoufand  ages  hence,  even  to 
eternity.  I  pray  God  that  I  may  be  direct- 
ed in  this  arduous  undertaking.     To  me  it  i^ 

weighty  as  eternity. The  good  Lord  be 

with  me,  and  blefs  me." 
•  On  the  8th  of  July,  in  the  prefence  of  a 
large  aflembly,  confifting  of  the  Corporation, 
the  profeflbrs,  and  tutors,  the  ftudents,  min- 
ifters,  and  other  refpedlable  gentlemen,  he 
was  indudled  into  office,  in  the  college 
chapel,  and  received  the  records,  key,  and 
feal,  from  the  fenior  and  prefiding  Fellow, 
After  a  prayer,  by  Profeflbr  Daggett,  the 
prefiding  Fellow,  in  a  Latin  oration,  com- 
mitted the  College  to  the  care,  inftrudkion, 
and  government  of  Dr.  Stiles  ;  declaring 
him  President,  and  Profeflbr  of  Ecclefl- 
aftical  Hiftory.  To  thefe  exercifes  fucceeded 
the  Prefident's  reply,  confifting  of  addrefles 
in  Latin,  to  the  Corporation,  and  to  the  va- 
rious clafTes  of  the  aflembly  ;  a  congratula^ 
tory  oration,  in  Latin,  by  one  of  the  Senior 
Bachelors  ;  and  an  oration,  In  Latin,  by  the 
Prefident,  on  the  encyclopedia  of  literature. 
This  Inaugural  Oration  was  printed  ;  and  it 
furniflies  a  fummary  and  pleafmg  proof  of 
tl^e  extenfive  fcholarlhip  of  its  author.    The 

ProfeflTcrs 


254  THE    LIFE    OF 

Profeflbrs  and  Tutors  waited  on  him  with  a 
congratulatory  addrefs,  expreffive  of  the  re- 
fpedt  and  affedtion  with  which  the  Univerfity 
i^eceived  him,  and  of  the  unfeigned  joy  which 
w^as  excited  by  his  induction  into  the  prefi- 
dency.  Mr.  Marchant  foon  after  wrote 
10  liim,  from  Congrefs  :  "  The  univerfal 
fatisfadtion  which  I  prefume  you  muft  have 
perceived  in  all,  who  are  interefted  in  the 
profperity  of  that  feminary  of  learning,  on 
the  day  of  your  inveftiture,  will,  I  hope,  give 
a  degree  of  refolution  and  encouragement, 
which  fhali  fufHciently  deftroy  that  diffidence 
of  your  own  powers  and  abilities,  which 
alone  ever  ftood  too  much  in  the  way  of 
that  ufefulnefs  to  mankind,  for  which  Heav- 
en and  nature  defigned  you." 

Devoted  as  his  talents  now  were  to  the 
feminary,  thus  folemnly  committed  to  his 
care,  he  applied  himfeif  with  diligence  and 
zeal  to  the  promotion  of  its  interefts.  In 
July,  he  began  to  inftrudt  the  ftudents  in 
Hebrew,  and  in  the  Oriental  languages, 
though  this  fervice  was  not  officially  required 
of  him.  On  the  6th  of  Auguft,  he  read  a 
public  lecture,  in  the  chapel,  on  Ecclefiaftical 
Hiftory  j  commencing  a  feries  of  lectures  on 

that 


•   PRESIDENT   STILES.       255 

that  fubjefl,  which  he  continued  weekly, 
with  very  Uttle  interruption,  till  his  death. 

The  calamities  of  the  war  with  Great- 
Britain  prevented  the  public  celebration  of 
the  commencement.  In  November,  the 
Prefident  delivered  an  evening  le(Sture,  after 
prayers,  in  the  chapel,  on  the  cyclopedia  of 
literature  ;  which,  at  proper  periods,  he 
maintained  during  his  prefidency. 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

"THIS  day  I  am  fifty-one  years  old  | 
fpared,  hitherto,  of  the  wonderful  goodnefs 
€)f  God,  to  admire  his  patience,  long-fuffer- 
ing,  and  grae^  towards  me  j  and  to  be  afton- 
ifhed  with  the  courfe  of  events,  which  have 
taken  place  with  refpe£l  to  me,  as  well 
through  my  whole  life,  as  particularly  the 
paft  year.  The  morning  of  this  day  I  de- 
voted to  the  review  of  the  divine  care  and 
benignity,  renewedly  to  dedicate  my  fpared 
life  to  his  fervice,  and  myfelf  fupremely  and 
eternally  to  be  his.  I  have  long  ago  given 
away  my  whole  foul  to  Jefus  ;  the  vo\vs  of 
the  bleeding  Immanuel  are  upon  me  ;  and 
Omnifcience  is  witnefs  that  I  do  not  retrad 

my 


THE    LIFE    OF 

imy  vows  :  I  wi-fli  tliem,  if  pofTible,  to  fee 
infinitely  more  ftrengthened  :  I  could  not 
bear  the  thought  of  being  difconne£ted  again 
from  my  deareft  Redeemer. 

*'  God  hath  carried  me  through  great  and 
weighty  concerns  and  trials,  the  year  pafto 
I  hope  I  have  been  under  his  guidance  and 
dkedion,  which  I  have  daily  and  moft 
fcarneftly  implored.  In  accepting  the  prefi- 
dency,  I  am  uncertain  whether  I  have  done 
right  :  but  pray  God  to  blefs  me.  I  am 
fure  I  am  entering  iilto  'more  laborious  fer- 
'^rices.  I  blefs  God  he  gave  me  comfortable 
fruit  of  my  poor  labours  at  Portfmoutli.* — — ^ 
God  was  pleafed,  in  the  Spring,  to  carry  me, 
and  all  my  family,  fuccefsfuUy  through  inoc- 
ulation for  the  fmall-pox  ;  a  mercy  which 
will  ever  demand  a  grateful  remembrance, 

ail    indelible    gratitude. -Such  was   the 

liberality  of  my   Portfmouth   congregation, 
that  they  more  than  paid  all  my  debts. 

"  Having  now  received  the  care  of  the 
college,  may  tlie  God  of  wifdom  and  grace 
give  me  his  aid  and  blefiing  !  In  this  new 
employment  of  forming  and  educating  youth 
for  public  fervice  in  the  churches,  and  in  tlie 
State,  I  defire  to  have  my  fole  reliance  on 

the 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        257 

the  great  Head  of  the  church.  May  it 
pleale  God  that  I  may  Ipend  the  momentary 
remnant  of  my  days  on  earth,  to  his  glory  ; 
and  fo  that  myriads  of  ages  hence,  I  might 
fmd,  and  recoUedl  with  pleafure,  that,  in  this 
infancy  of  my  being,  I  had  been  dire^^ed 
by  the  preparations  and  Openings  of  Provi- 
dence into,  and  to  the  divine  acceptance 
carried  through,  juft  that  fcene  of  exiftence 
for  which  I  was  beft  quaUlied,  and  might 
beft  fubferve  the  end  of  my  being,  the  good 
of  mankind,  and  the  advancement  of  the 
Redeemer's  kingdom.  So  many  are  the 
difficulties  and  dangers,  th-at  it  is  only  with 
God  to  make  my  fituation  comfortable  and 
iifeful,  or  to  permit  me  to  be  involved  in. 
uacomfortablenefs  and  difapp ointment. 

"  It  has  pleafed  God,  to  blefs  my  family 
with  health  ;  and  I  had  all  my  ievQin  chiU 
dren  at  home  with  me  at  the  Thankfgiving* 
O  that  fome  good  thing,  like  that  in  young; 
Jofiah,  may  be  found  in  each  of  my  children^ 
towards  the  God  of  their  fathers  ! 

"  As  to  the  public  affairs  :    In  the  import-^ 
ant  and  momentous  conflicl  for  public  liber- 
ty, our  bow  has  aM€  in  Jlrength^  the   year 
^dSa^hytheJfrerigtb  of  the  hands  ofthcTTiighty 
I  I  God 


2sS  THE    LIFE    OF 

Goc^  of  yacoh.  We  are  not  fubdued.  France 
has  acknowledged  our  Independency.  The 
battles  of  Monmouth  court-houfe,  and  on 
Rhode-Ifland,  were  vidtorious  to  us.  Britain 
is  evidently  aftonifhed,  and  at  a  paufe.  May 
God  afford  us- deliverance.— 1  defire  hum- 
bly to  dedicate  myfelf  afrefh  to  God,  and 
commit  to  his  care,  myfelf,  my  children,  my 
college,  the  churches,  my  bleeding  country.. 
Never  leave  me,  bleffed  Jefus,  till  I  (hall  have 
finillied  the  journey  through  this  wilder-^ 
aefs,  and  arrived  to  the  celeflial  Canaan,  an  J 
eternal  reft." 


A.D.  M,DCC,LXXIX.~^TAT.  Lm 

ON  the- 3d  of  May,  the  learned  and  refpe(5t- 
able  Profeffor  Winthrop  died  at  Cambridge^ 
This  event  at  once  deprived  Prefident  Stiles 
of  a  moft  valuable  friend  and  correfpondent,. 
and  the  republic  of  letters  of  one  of  its 
brightelt  ornaments.  In  a  letter  to  Dr.^ 
Ghauncy,  he  delineated  the  Profeflbr^s  char- 
adler,  which  was  inferted  in  an  Appendix  to 
Profeilbr  Wigglefworth's  Sermon  on  the  oc- 

cafion 


PRESIDENT  STILES,       259 

cafion  qF  his  death.*  While  he  highly  re- 
fpe£led  his  literary  charader,  he  cherifhed  a 
peculiar  efteem  for  him  as  a  firm  £i.-iend  to 
Revelation, 

This  Chriftiaii  philofopher,  the  day  pre- 
•ceding  his  death,  obfer\-ed  :  "  I  view  religion 
as  a  matter  of  very  great  importance.  The 
wife  men  of  antiquity  fet  themfelves  to  w^ork, 
to  prove  the  reality  of  a  future  ftate.  They 
catched  at  every  thing  which  had  the  fhad- 
ow  of  probability.  They  gave  a  degree  of 
plaufibility  to  the  arguments.  They  were 
fenfible  of  the  need  they  flood  in,  of  fuch  a 
do6trine.  In  oppofition  to  the  w4fe  men  of 
antiquity,  the  wife  men  of  modern  times 
have  employed  their  abilities  in  undermin- 
ing every  argument,  in  favour  of  immortal- 
ity, and  in  weakening  the  only  hope  that 

can 

*  The  Honourable  John  Winthrop,  LL.  D.  F.  R.  S. 
and  Hollis  ProfefTor  of  Mathen^atics  and  Natural  Philof- 
ophj  in  Harvard  College,  was  born  in  Bofton,  December 
19,  I7i4>  and  educated  at  this  college,  where  he  gradu- 
ated in  1732.  In  173S,  he  was  induced  into  the  VrcfzC- 
forfhip,  the  duties  of  which  he  fulfilled^  with  great  ability 
and  reputation,  till  his  death.  "  He  exhibited,"  fays 
Prefident  Stiles,  **  a  noble  literary  charadler,  during  the 
forty  years  of  his  profefforlhip.  He  wa^  a  fl:ar  of  the  firft 
magnitude.  He  was  not  only  excellent  in  his  ov/n  pro* 
fefllon,  but  he  was  a  univerfal  fchclar." 


^6o  THE     LIFE     OF 

can  fufta'in  us.  But  the  light  thrown  on  this 
matter  by  the  glorious  Gofpel,  with  me, 
amounts  to  a  demonftratlon.  The  hope  that 
is  fet  before  us  in  the  New  Teftament,  is  the 
only  thing  which  will  fupport  a  man  in  his 
dying  hour.  If  any  man  build  on  any  other 
foundation,  in  my  apprehenfion,  his  founda- 
tion will  fail." 

To  eyery  Chriftian  believer  It  muft  give 
pleafure,  to  find  fuch  names  as  Grotius, 
Pafchal,  Bacon,  Locke,  Boyle,  Newton, 
Winthrop,  Bowdoin,  Jones,  and  many  oth-i 
ers  of  the  firfl  eminence,  among  tlie  laity, 
advocates  for  Chriftianity.  Examples  of 
men,  of  fuch  fuperior  intellectual  powers,  be- 
lieving and  profelling  the  religion  of  Chrlft, 
after  a  deliberate  and  thorough  examination 
of  its  evidences,  and  without  the  influence 
of  fecular  motives,  ought  to  render  Infidels 
more  modeft  than  they  ufually  arc.  In  their 
afiaults  on  Revelation.  The  number  of  fuch 
examples  is  fufficient  to  demonflrate  the  fal- 
fity  of  two  pofitions,  which  the  champions 
of  infidelity  would  fondly  fupport  :  one, 
That  the  men  of  the  grcateft  underftanding 
are  on  their  fide  ;  the  other,  That  Chriftian- 
ity is  fupported  by  prieftcraft. 

A  new 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        261 

A  new  fceiie  of  confufion  and  diftrefs 
was  now  to  fiicceed  that,  through  which  the 
Prefident  and  his  family  had  paifed  at  New- 
port. Early  in  the  morning  of  the  5th  of 
July,  a  Britifh  fleet,  of  about  forty  fail,  an- 
chored off  Weft-Haven.  Alarm  guns  were 
fired.  Although  the  deftination  of  the  ene- 
my was  unknown,  there  was  ferious  caufe 
to  apprehend  that  its  object  was,  the  plun- 
der, or  conflagration,  of  New-Haven.  It  was 
a  favourable  circumftance  to  the  inhabit- 
ants, and  to  the  interefts  of  fcience,  that 
there  was  fufiicient  time  for  the  removal  of 
defencelefs  families,  and  of  articles  of  pecu- 
liar value.  The  Prefident  fent  his  family 
out  of  town,  and,  together  with  them,  the 
college  records  and  papers,  and  his  own 
manufcripts.  At  fun-rife,  a  detachment  of 
a  thoufand  troops,  under  the  command  of 
Brigadier-General  Garth,  landed  at  Weft- 
Haven. 

There  being,  at  this  time,  no  foldiers  fta- 
tioned  at  New-Haven,  the  defence  of  the 
town  depended  folely,  under  Providence,  on 
the  valour  of  its  citizens.  On  fo  fudden  an 
alarm,  it  was  impoflible  to  raife  a  fufiicient 
number  of  troops,  to  make  effedual  refift- 

ance 


s62  THE    LIFE    OF 

ance  to  fo  formidable  an  army.  It  was,  how- 
ever, ill  the  power  of  fuch  little  bands  of 
militia,  and  of  volunteers,  as  were  raifed  on 
the  fpot,  to  harafs  and  annoy  the  troops 
on  their  march  tov/ard  the  town.  Captain 
James  Hillhoufe,  with  a  fmall  band  of  brave 
young  men,  fome  of  wliom  were  (Indents 
at  college,  advanced  very  near  to  the  troops, 
while  on  parade,  near  Weil-Haven  church  ; 
and,  as  they  Gommenced  their  march,  fired 
on  the  advanced  guards,  and  drove  them 
back  to  the  main  body.  In  this  manner,  the 
patriotic  citizens  checked  the  progrefs  of  the 
€nemy,  and  gained  farther  time  for  the  in- 
habitants to  fecure  their  perfons  and  effecSts. 
Proceeding  along  in  force,  the  enemy  entered 
the  town  about  one  in  the  afternoon.  From 
this  time  till  eight  in  the  evening,  the  town 
was  given  up  to  ravage  and  plunder,  from 
which  a  few  houfes  only  were  protected. 

While  thefe  tranfa<Sl;ions  were  taking  place 
on  the  weft  fide  of  the  harbour.  General 
Trj'ori,  who  had  the  chief  command  of  this 
expedition,  landed  about  a  thoufand  troops  at 
Eaft-Haven.  This  divifion,  after  being  fe- 
verely  haralTed,  effe£led  a  junction  with  the 
other  in  town.     Though  the  troops  burned 

no 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        263 

no  dwellJng-houfes,  they  Injured  many.  To 
whatever  caufe  it  may  be  alcribed,  they  did 
no  injury  to  the  Prefident's  houfe,  nor  to 
the  college  edifices  ;  and  fcarcely  any  to  the 
churches,  and  other  public  buildings.  They 
evacuated  New-Haven  the  next  morning  5 
and,  foon  after  the  evacuation,  the  Prefident 
returned.  The  fleet  left  the  harbour  at  night ; 
and,  the  next  morning,  July  7,  anchored  off 
Fairfield,  The  wanton  conflagration  of  this 
beautiful  town  is  well  known  ;  neither  will 
the  faithful  page  of  the  hiftorian,  nor  the 
defcriptive  pen  of  the  poet,*  (ufkv  it  to  be 
forgotten. 

Among  the  plunder  taken  from  New- 
Haven,  was  a  large  cheft  of  Prefident  Clap's 
matiufcripts.  Solicitous  to  recover,  if  poffi* 
ble,  this  fcientific  treafure,  Prefident  Stiles,  a^ 
few  days  after,  addrefled  a  polite  letter  tQ 
General  Tryon,  requefting  this  box  of  man- 
ufcripts,  which,  he  alTures  him,  "  can  have 
no  refpecSl  to  the  prefent  times,  as  Prefident 
Clap  died  in  1767,  A  war  againft  Science 
has  been  reprobated  for  ages,  by  the  wifeft 
and  moft  powerful  generals.  The  irrepara-r 
ble  lolTes  fuftained  by  the  deftrudtion  of  the 

Alexandrian 

*  See  Colonel  Humphreys'  "  Elegy  on  the  Burning  of 
Fairfield  j"  and  Dr.  Dwight's  «  Greenfield  Hill.** 


264  THE    LIFE    OF 

Alexandrian  Library,  and  other  ancient  mon- 
uments of  literature,  have  prompted  the  vic- 
torious commanders,  of  modern  ages,  to  ex- 
empt thefe  monuments  from  the  ravages  and 
defolations  infeparable  from  the  higheft  rig- 
ours of  war.'* 

The  General  returned  a  very  obliging  an- 
fwer.  "  Difpofed  by  principle,  as  well  as 
inclination,  to  prevent  the  violence  of  war 
from  injuring  tlie  rights  of  the  Republic  of 
Learning,  he  very  much  approved  of  the 
Prefident's  folicitude  for  the  prefervation  of 
the  manufcripts.  Had  they  been  found  at 
New- York,  they  fhotild  moft  certainly  have 
been  reftored,  as  he  defired  ;  but,  after  dili- 
gent enquiry,  he  could  learn  nothing  con- 
cerning them.'*  He  would  "  indulge  a  hope, 
that  better  care  has  been  taken  of  this  collec- 
tion, than  was  apprehended  at  the  date  of 
the  Prefident's  letter."  "  This,  however," 
adds  the  General,  "  will  not  abate  my  atten- 
tion and  enquiry  ;  nor  fhall  I,  if  I  fucceed, 
omit  the  gratification  of  your  wiih." 

It  afterward  appeared,  that  the  enemy 
threw  many  of  thefe  manufcripts  overboard, 
into  Long-Ifland  Sound.  Some  of  them 
were  taken   up   by  boatmen,  over  againft 

Fairfield 


t>RESIDENT  STILES.       265 

Fairfield  harbour.  Others  were  found  by 
the  Prefident,  at  Eaft-Haven,  three  weeks 
after  the  evacuation.  But  he  exprefles  his 
regret,  that  moft  of  Prefident  Clap's  manu- 
fcripts  are  "  now  lamentably  and  irrecovera-* 
bly  loft." 

The  national  calamities  again  prevented 
the  public  celebration  of  the  commencement. 

In  the  fucceeding  vacation,  the  Prefident 
took  a  journey  to  Rhode-Ifland  ;  and  vifit- 
ed  his  Newport  congregation,  in  its  difper- 
Hons,  at  Providence,  at  Taunton,  and  at  va-*, 
rious  other  places* 


A.  Z>,    M,DCC,LXXX.— iETAT.  LIIL 

IN  the  fpring  vacation,  he  vifited  New-t 
{)ort,  which  was  now  evacuated  by  the  ene- 
my. Being  there  on  the  memorable  dark 
day.  May  19,  he  attentively  obferved  that 
phenomenon ;  and  his  account  of  it  was  pub- 
liflied  in  the  next  day's  gazette.  A  fcientific 
knowledge  of  the  general  laws  of  nature,  and 
an  extenfive  acquaintance  witji  hiftory,  ena* 
bled  him  to  view,  with  philofophic  and  re-< 
ligious  calmnefs,  what  ilruck  many  others 
Kk  with 


/ 


i66  THE    LIFE    01^ 

with  confternation.  Having  related  the 
commencement,  progrefs,  and  all  the  circum- 
ftances,  of  this  darknefs,  he  adds  :  "  Such 
appearances  have  been  obferved  in  other  parts 
of  the  world,  as  on  the  coaft  of  Africa,  and 
in  Em-ope,  and  particularly  in  London,  A.  D, 
1679.  But  fuch  a  phenom.enon  has,  per- 
haps, never  happened  here,  fmce  the  Englifh 
fettlement  of  this  country. 

"  This  darknefs  may,  undoubtedly,  be  ac-^ 
counted  for,  by  the  laws  of  nature,  without 
having  recourfe  to  any  thing  miraculous,  or 
ominous.  It  could  not,  however,  be  afcrib- 
ed  to  a  folar  eclipfe  ;  becaufe  the  moon  was 
then  nearty  in  oppofition,  as  a  lunar  eclipfe 
fell  the  preceding  day.  It  may  be  confider- 
ed  as  a  very  extenfive  fheet  of  very  denfe 
cloud,  ftationary,  and  fufp^nded  in  the  atmof- 
^here  over  this  and  the  adjacent  places,  there 
heing  no  current  of  air  fufEcient  to  carry  it 
forward.  This,  penetrated  by  the  meridiati 
iblar  rays,  produced  the  yellow  duikifhnefs, 
which  overfhadowed  us,  transfufmg  a  yellow 
huQ  over  all  vifible.  nature."* 

Having 

*  See  a  particular  account  of  this  darknefs,  by  Profenbr 
•Williams,  in  the   ift.  Vol.  of  Memoirs  of  the  American 
Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        ^6^ 

Having  viewed  this  phenomenon  as  a 
phiiolbpher,  he  improves  it  as  a  Chriftianp 
*'  There  is  nothing  terrible  in  it,  more  than 
in  the  corrufcations  of  the  Aurora  Borealis, 
However,  the  unufual  as  well  as  conimon 
appearances,  in  the  natural  w^orld,  ought  to 
lead  our  thoughts  up  to  the  Author  of  na- 
ture, and  to  the  energies  of  his  irrefiftible 
power  ;  that  we  may  be  filled  with  a  rever- 
ential awe  of  the  divine  Majefly." 

Two  days  after,  on  the  Lord's  Day,  he 
preached,  in  the  ruins  of  his  church,  to  his 
Newport  congregation,  two  thirds  of  which, 
he  judged,  had  now  returned.  This  temr- 
pie,  a  decent  edifice,  when  abandoned  by 
the  Society,  experienced,  like  many  others,  a 
facrilegious  violation.  The  enemy  had  put 
up  a  chimney  in  the  middle  of  it,  and  demoL- 
ifhed  all  the  pews  and  feats  below,  and  in 
^  the  galleries,  but  had  left  the  pulpit  Handing. 
*'  My  little  zealous  flock,"  fays  the  Prefident, 
*'  took  down  the  chimney,  and  cleanfed  the 
meeting-houfe,  and  then  procured  fome 
benches,  made  for  the  king's  troops'  enter- 
tainment, and  left  behind  :  fo  that  we  attend- 
ed divine  fervice  very  conveniently,  though 
with  a  pleafure  intermixed  with  tender 
grief."  ^^^^ 


^68  THE    LIFE    OF 

The  next  day,  the  Church  and  Society 
held  a  Parifh  meeting.  Unwilling  to  relin- 
quifh  their  minifter,  and  to  have  his  paftoral 
relation  diiTolved  ;  they  would  gladly  con-, 
lent  to  his  abfence,  during  the  war,  but 
would  confider  him  yet,  as  their  paftor.  It 
is  obfervable,  that,  in  their  votes,  pafled  at 
this  time,  they  mention  him  as  their  "  prefent 
paftor  ;"  although,  "  from  the  prefent  fitua- 
tion  of  the  town,  and  his  appointment  to  the 
prefidency  of  Yale  College,  they  could  not 
expert  his  return,  the  enfuing  fummer." 
Agreeably  to  thefe  views,  they  provided  a 
temporary  fupply  only,  for  the  pulpit.  So 
tenacious  were  they  of  one,  long  endeared  to 
them  by  paftoral  fidelity,  and  by  a  thoufand 
offices  of  benevolence  and   of  friendfhip  ! 

• — Their  partial   attachment,  however, 

•was  not  indulged  at  the  expence  of  candour. 
Dr.  Stiles  having  reprefented  to  them  the 
reafons  of  his  acceptance  of  the  prefidency, 
they  obferve,  that,  "  having  taken  the  fame 
into  confideration,  they  do  approve  of  his 
condud:  therein.*' 

It  is  to  the  honour  of  any  community,  to 
confider,  calmly  and  impartially,  fuch  provi- 
dential calls  to  fuperior  ufefulnefs  ;  and,  either 

partially. 


PRESIDENT   STILES.       269 

partially,  or  totally,  to  refign  its  claims,  as  the 
cai'e  requires.  The  ccndui^  of  too  many 
Societies,  on  occafions  limilar  to  this,  argues 
luch  a  deficiency  of  candour  and  generolity, 
as,  however  fand:ioned  by  the  felfifh  paflions, 
mull  be  acknowledged  repugnant  to  the  be- 
nevolent and  difinterefted  maxims  of  Chrif- 
tianity. 

The  pious  paflor  improved  this  opportu- 
nity, in  vifiting  the  beloved  people  of  his 
charge,  and  in  miniftering  to  thein  counfel, 

encouragement,    and    comfort, Having 

preached  to  them  again,  on  the  enfuing  Sab- 
bath, and   adminiftered  the  Lord's  Supper, 

he  bade  them  "  a  melancholy  farev/ell." ■ 

About  three  hundred  dwelling-houfes,  he 
judged,  had  been  deftroyed  in  Newport. 
*'  The  town,"  he  obfer\^ed,  "  is  in  ruins. 
But,  with  Nehemiah,  I  could  prefer  the  very 
duft  of  Zion  to  the  gardens  of  Perfia,  and 
the  broken  walls  of  Jerufalem  to  the  palaces 
of  Shufhan." 

The  commencement,  in  September,  was  not 
publicly  celebrated,  on  account  of  the  war. 

In  the  autumnal  vacation,   the  Prefident 

again  vifited  Newport,  where  be  fpent  three 

Sabbaths. 

While 


i 


270  THE     LIFE     OF 

While  at  Newport,  he  was  introduced  to 
Count  de  Rochambeau,  commander  in  chief 
of  the  allied  army,  to  Marquis  de  Chaftellux,, 
to  the  principal  French  officers,  and  to  the 
minifter  of  France,  Chevalier  de  la  Luzerne^ 
The  generals  treated  him  with  that  polite- 
nefs,  for  which  their  nation  has  been  charac- 
terized. Each  invited  him  to  a  fplendid 
dinner,  and  was  emulous  of  fhewing  him 
refped:.  This  favourable  opportunity  of 
adding  to  the  ftock  of  his  military,  poUtical, 
and  fcientific  information,  was  not  neglected. 

The  Corporation  of  Dartmouth  College,  at 
the  commencement  in  September,  conferred 
on  him  the  degree  of  Dodtor  in  Divinity. 

ProfelFor  Daggett,  after  a  very  fhort  ill- 
nefs,  died  on  the  25th  of  November.*  The 
bufinefs  of  the  Profeflbrfhip  of  Divinity  nov\r 
devolved  on  the  Prefident ;  and,  befide  his 
Ecclefiaflical  Ledbure,  he  weekly  gave  one 
or  two  difiertations  on  fome  philofophical  or 
aftronomical  fubjedt  5  and  a  private  ledure 
on  theology,  every  Saturday  afternoon,  to  a 
fele<ft  number  of  graduates  and  ftudents. 
In  addition  to  thefe  labours,  Profeflbr  Strong 
being  abfent  from  college,  and  there  being  a 

temporary 
*  See  Kift.  Yale  College,  in  Appendix. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       2jf 

temporary  vacancy  in  the  tutorfllip,  belide 
his  daily  inftrudion  of  the  Seniors,  he  now- 
attended  a  daily  recitation  of  the  Junior 
clafs  in  philofophy.  In  efFeift,  therefore, 
he  filled  the  offices  of  three  profefTorfhips, 
and  of  the  prefidency,  at  the  fame  time. 


BIRTH-DAY     REFLECTION. 

"  IT  being  Lord's  day,  and,  by  the  death 
of  the  late  Profeflbr  of  Divinity,  the  fervice 
of  the  college  chapel  devolving  upon  me,  I 
have  no  leifure  for  the  reflections  proper  at 
this  time.  The  God  of  my  life  has  carried 
me  through  another  year,  fo  filled  with  la- 
bours and  cares,  as  that  I  have  not  time 
enough  for  devotion,  and  the  calm  exercifes 
of  religion  and  piety.— ^ — -I  have  feen  great 
goodnefs  in  providence.  My  children  are 
all  alive,  though  in  the  moft  dangerous  pe- 
riod of  life. The  College  has  been  ftu- 

dious  and  orderly,  and  alfo  religious, — ■ 

I  commit  mylelf  to  the  care  of  Heaven." 


J,D.  M,DCC,LXXXL— ^TAT.  LIV. 

PREPARATORY  to  the  eledion  of  a 
Profeflbr  of  Divinity,  he  obferved  a  day  of 

private 


3fi  tHE    LIFE    OF 

private  fafting  and  prayer,  to  feek  the  di- 
vine guidance  for  himielf,  and  for  the  oth- 
er ele(5tors. 

His  folicitude  for  the  fucdefs  of  his  relig- 
ious irtftrodtions  is  frequently  vifible,  in  his 
private  writings.  Having  given  three  the- 
ological difcourfes,  as  iifual,  on  Saturdays 
he  clofes  the  day  with  this  petition  :  "  The 
good  Lord  accompany,  tvith  a  bleffing,  my 
endeavours  to  impregnate  the  minds  of  my 
pupils  with  dodtrinal  and  experimental 
knowledge,  in  divine  and  heavenly  things." 

On  the  5th  of  January,  he  was  elected  a 
Counfellor  of  the  American  Philofophical 
Society ;  and,  on  the  31ft,  a  Fellow  of  the 
American  Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences^ 

IndividiialSj  of  fome  influence  in  the 
State,  made  intereft,  about  this  time,  with 
the  civilians,  to  withdraw  the  legillative 
patronage  from  Yale  College,  and  to  give 
encouragement  to  a  feminary,  to  be  founded 
under  the  aufpices  of  the  legiflature,  and  to 
be  fupported  by  its  munificence.  Although 
the  Prefident  conducted  the  affairs  of  the 
univerfity  unexceptionably,  and  had  the 
univerfal  refpec^l  and  affection  of  the  ftu- 
dents,  the  entire  approbation  of  the  Fellowsy 

and 


PRESIDENT   STILES.       273 

and  the  applaufe  of  the  literati  throughout 
the  State  j  yet  it  was  impoffible  to  forefee 
how  the  fchemes,  now  in  contemplation, 
would  terminate.  His  refledlions,  at  this 
trifis,  are  too  illuftrative  of  his  charader  to  ^ 
be  fupprefTed.  They  develope  the  leading 
principles,  which  actuated  his  conduct 
through  life  ;  and  which  enabled  him, 
amidft  the  confli(ft  of  jarring  interefts  and 
paflions,  to  preferve  at  once  a  good  con- 
fcience,  and  the  general  efteem  of  mankind* 
'*  It  hath  been  the  ordering  of  a  holy 
Providence,-  that  I  have  been  called  to  meet 
with  trials  from  thofe  nearly  connedled  with 
me  in  office,  almoft  through  life.  I  have 
been  obliged  to  eondudt  with  fmgular  cau- 
tion and  prudence.  When  a  young  candi- 
date for  the  miniftry,  there  were  thofe  who 
afperfed  me  with  fufpicions  of  herefy.  I 
treated  them  with  refpe£l  arid  benevolence. 
When  I  fettled  in  the  miniftry  at  Newport, 

Mr. the  Congregational  minifter  of  the 

other  church,  was  fufpicious  and  cold  to- 
ward  me.  I  difarmed  him  by  filence  and 
benevolence.  When  his  miniftry  was  end- 
ed, I  hoped  for  a  fucceffor,  in  whom  I 
Inight  be  happy  as  a  cordial  brother  :  there 
L  L  was 


^74  THE    LIFE    OF 

was   a   profpedt  of    this   in  an   ingenious 

young  man,  Mr.  A .     But  the  church 

finally  fettled  Mr.  H — - — ,  of  fome  fenti- 
ments  very  different  from  mine,  while  wd 
agreed  well  in  the  general  fyftem  of  ortho- 
doxy.  As   the  providence  of  God  had 

brought  us  into  a  connexion,  I  determined 
to  learn  and  get  all  the  good  I  could  from 
him  ;  treat  him  with  refped:  and  benevo- 
lence ;  and  endeavqur,  as  far  as  we  were 
agreed,  to  co-operate  with  him  in  building 
up  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  :  And  we  liv- 
ed together  in  peace  and  love. 

*'  It  has  been  a  principle  with  me,  for 
thirty-five  years  paft,  to  walk  and  live  in  a 
decent,  civil,  and  refpe£tful  communication 
with  all ;  although  in  fome  of  our  fenti- 
ments  in  philofophy,  religion,  and  politics, 
of  diametrically  oppofite  opinions.  Hence, 
I  can  fireely  live,  and  converfe  in  civil 
friendihip,  with  Jews,  Romanifts,  and  all 
the  fe(Sts  of  Proteftants,  and  even  with  De- 
ifts.  I  am,  all  along,  blamed  by  bigots  for 
this  liberality,  though,  I  think,  none  im- 
peach me  now  of  hypccrify  ;  becaufe  I 
moft  freely,  fully,  and  plainly,  give 
jny  fentiments  on  every  thing,  in  fclence, 

religion, 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       275 

religion,  and  politics.  I  have  my  own 
judgment,  and  do  not  conceal  it.  I  have 
no  fecrets.  I  hold  it  beneath  the  dignity  of 
a  Philofoplier,  to  fupprefs  his  fentiments  up- 
on any  thing.  It  is  indeed  unworthy  of 
him  to  make  up  hafty  opinions  on  every 
new  fubje(£l:  which  occurs.  Upon  thefe, 
therefore,  he  Ihould  difcourfe,  in  the  way  of 
fearch  and  enquiry,  till  he  has  formed  his 
judgment  :  then  let  him  exprefs  it  ;  but 
without  reprobating  others,  or  treating  them 
with  acrimonious  reflecStions,  becaufe  they 
think  differently.  There  is  no  pafling 
through  life,  without  many  undefirable  con- 
nexions.  1  will  endeavour  to  enjoy  my 

prefent  fituation,  do  the  work  faithfully,  and 
leave  the  iffue  with  the  Mofl  High,  the  fu- 
preme  and  all-wife  Difpofer  of  all  events."* 
A  letter,  written  in  Latin,  about  this  time, 
to  M.  de  Sevigny,  a  chaplain  in  the  French 
army,  gives  a  new  proof  of  his  generous 
and  catholic  fpirit,  and  of  his  avidity  for  im- 
provement in  fcience  and  virtue.  In  this 
letter  he  obfer^^es.  That  he  has  acquired 
much  knowledge  from  great  and  learned 
men,  of  all  fedls   of  Chriftians,  nay,  from 

Deifts, 

*  Literary  Diary. 


§76  THE    LIFE    OF 

Deifts,  from  Mahon^etans,  and  even  froni; 
the  difciples  of  the  Bonzes  and  Brahmans  ; 
That  the  time  has,  or  ought  to  have,  arrived, 
when  religious  difputes  fhould  be  contemn- 
ed, fo  far  as,  either  by  an  inimical  or  inquif- 
itorial  influence,  they  prevent  a  philofophical 
urbanity,  and  a  moft  ample  progrefs  of  the 
Sciences  :  That  he  has  found,  with  the  high- 
eft  pleafure,  great  and  illuftrious  men,  emi- 
nently diftinguifhed  for  piety  and  learning, 
of  all  ages  and  countries  :  That  he  venerates 
the  dead,  of  this  character,  and  moft  cor- 
dially embraces  the  living  :  That  he  has  an 
ardent  defire  of  vifiting  foreign  countries ; 
that  he  might  enjoy  the  fociety,  friendlhip, 
and  delightful  converfation  of  learned  men, 
of  whatever  nation,  and  become  enlightenr 
ed  by  the  ilium.inated.  But  he  laments, 
that  he  muft  renounce  the  expe(Station  of 
thefe  moft  pleafmg  entertainments,  having 
now  reached  the  eyening  of  his  days. 

After  an  intei^val  of  feven  years,  the  Com- 
mencement, September  12,  was  celebrated  in 
public.  On  this  aufpicious  occafion,  the 
Prefident  introduced  the  literary  exercifes,  in 
the  morning,  by  a  Hebrew  oration,  on  He- 
brew literature  j  and,  in  the  afternoon,  by  a 
jLatin  oration.  -r 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         ±77 

In  the  enfuing  vacation,  he  w^nt  to  Portf-^ 
mouth  ;  where  he  vifited  the  people  of  his 
former  charge,  in  the  abfence  of  their  paftor  ;* 
preached  two  Lord's  days  ;  adminiftered  the 
Lord's  Supper  ;  and  "  exhorted  them  to  ftand 
fail  in  the  evangeUcal  doctrines."  He  alfo 
made  a  paftoral  vifit  to  the  difperfion  of  his 
dear  Newport  flocL 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

"  I  HAVE  finifhed  fifty-four  years  of  my 
pilgrimage  on  earth  ;  and  defire  to  enter  on 
my  fifty-fifth,  with  humble  reference  of  my- 
felf  to  the  guidance  and  bleffing  of  the  God 
who  hath  bleffed  me  all  my  life.  The  la- 
bours of  the  prefidency  were  fo  weighty,  the 
fummer  pall,  as  that,  in  Auguft,  I  was  taken 
off  a  fortnight  by  a  fever.  But  it  pleafed 
God  that  I  {hould  recover  from  it.  The 
college  h^s  been  fludious,  orderly,  and,  to  an 
argreeable  degree,    religious,   the  year  pad. 

1  am  continually  praying  Heaven,  that 

my  prefidency  may  be  with  tranquillity  and 
peace.     I  take  great  pains  to  look  carefully 

into 

*  The    Reverend  Mr.  Buekminfter— -ordaine^i,  Janu- 
ary  27,  1779, 


^y^  THE    LIJE    OF 

into  the  interior  Itate  of  the  college,  and  to 
converfe  with  the  i^iudents, /eor^?n^  [aipsLYt] 
both  fcientitically,  and  religioully.     As  the 
college  chapel  has  devolved  on  me  the  year 
paft,  I  have  endeavoured  to  preach  ibe  U7i^ 
fe  arch  able  riches  of  Chrijl^  and  falvation  by 
the  crofs,  and  holinefs,  as  confifting  in  the 
fupreme  love  of  God,  for  the  innate  excel- 
lencies, purity,  and  glory,  of  his  nature  and 
chara61:er.      I  have   earneftly  and  fincerely 
importuned  the  youth  of  this  Univerfity,  to 
devote  themfelves  to  that  divine  Jefus,  who 
hath  loved  them  to  the  death.     And,  praifed 
be  Go/i,  I  ^ave  reafon  to  hope  the  blefTed 
Spirit  hath  wrought  effectually  on  the  hearts 
of  fundry,  who  have,  I  think,  been  brought 
home  to  God  ;  and  experienced  what  fiefh 
and  blood  cannot  impart  to  the  human  mind. 
"  During  the  vacancy  in  the  ProfeiTorftiip 
of  Divinity,  I  am  to  labour  in  word  and  doc- 
trine, as  well  as  in  the  feveral  branches  of 
my  proper  office  ;  So  that  I  have  an  amaz- 
ing work.     The  good  Lord  ftrengthen  me 
to  it.     I  am  principally   concerned,    left  I 
fhould  inftil  fome  errors  into  the  numerous 
youth.     For,  by  the  admiffion  of  90  Frefh- 
men,  we  have  a  college  of  224  undergradu- 
ates. 


PRESIDENT  STILES,        279 

ates.  May  God  give  me  grace  to  go  in  and 
out  before  them,  in  fuch  a  manner,  as  fhall 
be  moft  for  his  glory. 

"  I  wifh  for  more  leifure  for  piety  and  the 
divine  life,  But  I  hope  I  fhall  never  ceafe 
to  prize  Jefus,  as  my  chief  joy.  To  the 
triune  Jehovah  I  commit  the  momentary 
remnant  of  my  days," 


A,  D.  M,DCC,LXXXIL— jEtat.  LV. 

PROFESSOR  Strong  having  refigned  his 
office,  the  Prefident,  on  the  2d  of  January, 
delivered  a  public  Le£tm-e,  in  the  chapel,  on 
Natural  Philofophy  ;  and,  from  this  time,  he 
gave  occafional  Le<5lures  on  Mathematics 
and  Philofophy  from  the.  Profeflbrial  chair, 
till  it  was  filled  by  the  prefent  ProfefTor.    . 

During  the  vacancy  in  the  Profeflbrftiip 
of  Divinity,  he  took  the  ftated  care  of  the  col- 
lege church  ;  and,  befide  the  public  exercifes 
of  the  Lord's  day,  he  delivered  a  difcourfe  to 
the  members  of  that  church,  on  fome  even- 
ing in  the  week  preceding  the  communion. 
Thefe  preparatory  difcourfes  were  veiy  fol- 

emn. 


2§o         THE    LIFfe    OF 

emn,  artd  pathetic  ;  and  delivered  with  all  the 
tenderiiels  of  paftoral  and  parental  afFedion. 

In  March,  an  unhappy  occafion  was  pre- 
fented  lor  the  exercife  of  his  official  authority, 
in  the  infliction  of  punifhment.  But  a 
prompt,  deciiive,  and  equitable  difcipline,  by 
difmembering  fuch  ftudents,  as  had  forfeited 
all  claim  tO  their  academic  privileges,  by  ex- 
ad:ing  a  humiliating  confeffion  from  thofe 
who  were  lefs  criminal,  and  by  "  eftablifhing 
a  convi(Stion,  that  the  Government  had  refo- 
lution  to  inflid  the  higheft  punifhments," 
reftored  order  to  the  fociety. 

The  Revereiid  Samuel  Wales,  of  Milford, 
having  been  elected  ProfefTor  of  Divinity,  on 
the  1 2th  of  June,  was  inducted  into  office  : 
an  event,  which,  while  highly  important  to 
the  univerfity,  greatly  diminiflied  the  com- 
plicated cares  and  labours  of  the  Prefident. 

On  the  17th  of  Odaber,  the  Prefident  was 
married  to  his  feeond  wife,  Mrs.  Mary  Check- 
ley,  the  relift  of  WilUam  Checkley,  Efquire'^ 
of  Providence, 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

"  IN  the  year  paft  I  have  experienced  a 
variety  of  good  and  evil     I  have  had  a  nu- 
merous 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       2S1 

ineroils  college  to  attend  to,  and  fome  feveri- 
ty  of  difcipline  to  adminifter  ip.  the  govern- 
ment of  it,  which  has  given  me,  fenfible  dif- 
trefs.  I  have  alfo  had  great  pleafure,  in  aflift- 

ing  the  education  of  youth.-- ^--* 

I  commit  myfelfj  and  all  my  concerns,  and 
connexions,  to  the  protection  and  bleffing  of 
a  moft  merciful  God.  O  that  I  may  live  to 
his  glory  j  and  be  guided  by  unerring  Wis- 
dom, through  this  life,  to  a  ftate  of  immortal 
bleffednefs  I" 


A  Z>.  M,DCC,LXXXI1I.— JilTAT.  LVL 

TO  order  and  piety,  he  alv^rays  gave  his 
unrefetved  fandtion*  The  refidence  of  30 
or  40  fcholars  in  town,  during  the  winter 
vacation,  induced  him  to  attend  prayers  with 
them,  occafionally,  at  the  chapeL  Encour- 
aged by  his  counfel  and  example,  they  con- 
ftantly  maintained  morning  and  evening 
prayers  by  themfelves  ;  though  not  in  the 
chapel,  unlefs  accompanied  by  one  of  the 
officers  of  college. 

Mm  By 


282  THE    LIFE    OF 

By  the  appointment  of  his  Excellency 
Governor  Trumbull,*  the  Prefident  pfreached 
the  Eledion  Sermon,  on  the  8th  of  May,' 
A  ceiTation  of  hoftilities,  on  the  part  of 
Great-Britain,  having  already  taken  place, 
6y  ordiv  of  the  Bxitifh  king  ;  and  a  Treaty 
of  Peace,  the  prelirninaiy  articles  Of  which 
tvere  figried  in  January,  promifmg  foon  to 
terminate  a  war,  which,  for  eight  years,  had 
fpread  wide  devaftation  through  the  States  of 
America  j  a  very  interefting  fubjedt  was  pre- 

fented, 

*  'I'his  year  the  Governor  reilgned  his  offices  with  a 
dignity  becoming  a  patriotic  and  Chriftian  niagiftrate. 
He  was  born  at  Lebanon,  in  1710,  and  educated  at  Har- 
vard College,  where  he  graduated  in  1727.  He  died  in 
1785,  jEtat.  75.  PoiTefling  an  afTemblage  of  ufeful  tal- 
ents', he  affiduouOy  devoted  them  to  the  fervice  of  the 
State,  and  of  his  country.  In  the  latter  years  of  hi* 
life,  he  Was  an  intimate  friend  of  Prefident  Stiles,  at 
^hofe  houfe  he  lodged,  during  the  annual  feffion  of  the 
Aflembly  at  New-Haven.  The  Prefident  efteemed  him 
ihe  3?Hore  highly,  for  his  uniting  an  accurate  knowledge 
of  the  Hebrew  language,  and  theology,  with  his  political 
abilities  ;  and  efpecially,  for  the  union  of  piety  with  hi* 
patriotifm,  .  ■  dt  novr  appears,  (May  r6,  1798)  tliat 
his  Excellency  Jonathan  Trumbull,  a  fori  of  this  venera- 
ble man,  v/as,  the  laft  week,  eleded  Governor  of  Con- 
necticut. His  talents  and  patriotifm  are  well  known  f 
and  the  State,  over  which  he  prefides,  may  juftly  antici- 
pate an  adminiftration  worthy  of  a  name,  recorded  in  its 
aunals  with  peculiar  honour. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        983 

fented,  as  thetheme  of  difcourfe,  for  this  auf- 
picious  occafion,  "  The  United  States  ele- 
vated to  Glory  artd  Honour,"  is  the  title  of 
this  Sermon,*  the  defign  of  which  is  to  fhew, 
What  reafon  there  is  to  exped:  that,  by  the 
bleffing  of  God,  thefe  States  will  attain  that 
elevation  ;  and,  That  opr  fyflem  of  domin^ 
ion,  and  civil  polity,  would  be  imperfeil 
without  the  true  Religion  j  or,  that  from  the 
diffufion  of  virtue  among  the  people  of  any 
community,  vrould  rife  their  greateft  fecular 
happinefs,  which  will  terminate  in  this  con- 
clufion,  That  holinefs  ought  to  be  the  en^ 
of  all  civil  government. 

Under  the  firft  head,  he  points  out  the 
pbjedts  eflential  to  the  true  political  v^elfare 
of  a  community— ^a  free  teiiure  of  lands — 
a  numerous  population — sl  happy  form  of 
government — a  juft  fyftem.  of  laws  and  ju- 

rifprudence — -revenue — -comnierce indui- 

try — ^rem,oval  of  caufes  of  civil  diflention — 
a  well  regulated  militia — -vigilance  againfl 
corruption  in  ekdiions— and,  the  cultiva- 
tion of  literature  ;  and  fhews,  that  thefe 
caufes  of  national  profperity  have  a(5tua! 
operation,  or  will,  probably,  hereafter  op-* 
crate,  in  the  United  States.  T^nde 

*  Test,  Deuteronomy  sxvi.  19. 


284  THE    LIFE    OF 

Under  the  fecond  head,  he  fhews  the  im^ 
portance  of  the  true  religion  to  the  national 
profperity  ;  and,  by  inftituting  a  compari- 
fon  between  three  clafles  of  religions,  that  of 
idolatry,  that  of  deifm,  and  that  of  Chriflian- 
ity,  proves  the  advantages  of  the  laft,  for 
producing  the  higheft  benefit  to  mankind, 
confidered  as  united  in  civil  fociety,  or  as 
deftined  for  immortality. 

Convinced,  frorn  the  commencement  of 
hoflilities,  that  America  would  ultimately  tri- 
umph, and  having  now  lived  to  fee  the  Brit- 
ifh  king  and  miniftry  acknowledging  the 
Independence  of  the  United  States ;  a  full 
fcope  was  here  given,  for  the  difplay  of  his 
oratory,  and  of  his  patriotifm.  He  accord- 
ingly fpake,  out  of  the  abundance  of  his 
heart,  with  a  pathos  and  energy,  which  fo 
jiuguft  an  occafion  could  not  fail  to  infpire. 

To  exarnine  this  Difcourfe,  or,  indeed, 
^ny  one  of  his  compofitions,  by  the  rigid 
laws  of  Criticifm,  would  be  to  do  it  an  in- 
juftice.  Unfettered  by  rule,  his  manner  was 
entirely  his  own.  Abforbed  by  his  fubjeft, 
he  never  paufed  to  feled  his  words,  or  to 
balance  his  periods.  From  the  plenitude  of 
his  mind,  enriched  with  a  vaft  variety  of 

knowledge, 


PRESIDENT  STILfiS,       285 

knowledge,  he  "  pours  out  a  negligent  pro- 
fufion,  certain  of  the  weight,  but  carelefs  of 
the  ftamp."* 

Longinus  compares  Demollhenes  to  light- 
ning, which,  by  fudden  and  irrefiftible  flafh- 
es,  bears  down  all  before  it  -,  and  Cicero,  to 
a  conflagration,  which,  by  a  fure,  though 
gradual,  progrefs,  confumes  its  objedt.  Pref- 
ident  Stiles  may  be  compared  to  a  deep,  yet 
rapid,  flream,  flowing  along  in  an  irregular 
courfe,  often  breaking  over  its  banks,  and 
enriching,  while  it  inundates,  all  the  adjacent 

fields. "  His  ftyle,"  fays  his  panegyrift, 

*'  was  polite  and  copious,  though,  perhaps, 
in  fome  inftances,  rather  too  diffufe.  Either 
in  fpeaking  or  writing  on  interefling  fub- 
jeds,  the  ardent  fire  of  his  genius,  and 
flrength  of  his  conceptions,  fometimes  lifted 
him  above  thofe  rules  of  art,  in  compliance 
with  which,  others  may  be  very  learnedly, 
critically,  and  exactly,  dull  and  infipid."f 

Let  his  Eledlion  Sermon  be  read  with  an 
equitable  regard  to  the  peculiarity  of  the  ge- 
nius and  talents  of  its  author,  and  it  will  not 
fail  to  intereft  the  politician,  the  fcliolar,  and 

the 

*  Johnfon.  f  ProfefTcr  Meigs'  Funeral  Oration. 


286  THE    LIFE    OF 

the  Chriftian  ;  for  it  contains  a  fund  of  po-* 
iitical»  fcientific,  and  theological  truth. 

In  the  courfe  of  this  fummer,  confiderable 
additions  were  made  to  the  college  church. 
It  had  never  been  fo  large,  fince  its  founda-^ 
tion,  as  \t  was  rendered  by  thefe  acceffions. 
The  Prefiderit,  and  the  ProfeiTor  of  Divinity, 
had  previoufly  entertained  great  folicitude 
for  this  little  flock,  which  ^vas  almoft  entirely 
compofed  of  members  of  the  Senior  clafs, 
who  were  foon  to  take  leave  of  the  Univer* 
fity.  The  admiffion  of  eighteen  new  meni-». 
bers  from  the  other  claffes,  within  one  month, 
was  juftly  viewed  as  a  very  interelling  and 
joyful  event If  the  importance  of  Re- 
ligion, in  a  feminary  of  learning,  is  duly  con- 
fidered,  either  as  it  refpeds  the  ftudents 
themfelves,  or  the  community,  in  which  they 
are  becoming  formed  to  a(3:  an  influential 
part  ;  what  has  now  been  recorded  will  not 
be  judged  too  inconfiderable  for  prefervation. 
The  writer,  at  leaft,  muft  charge  himfelf 
with  impiety,  fhould  he  forget  an  event,  of 
which  he  was  an  eye-witnefs,  and  which,  he 
is  certain,  caiifed  maJiy  thanhfgivings  to  God. 

^In  a  late  interview  with  a  w^orthy  min- 

iflefj  who,  at  the  time  here  referred  to,  wa£ 

a  fludent 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        2~^ 

a  ftudent  at  college,  and  who  knows  the 
fubfequent  hiftory  of  his  fellow-fludents^  whd 
then  joined  thfe  college  church  ;  on  a  par- 
ticular enquiry  of  him,  concerning  their 
charaders,  it  appeared  that,  without  any 
known  exception,  they  have  fteadily  adher- 
ed to  their  early  profeffion.  By  their  fruits^ 
faid  the  Saviour,  ye  Jlmll  know  them.  Will 
any,  after  all,  call  this  enthttfiafm  ?  Would 
to  God,  there  were  fnore  of  it  in  the  world  ! 
This  is  an  event,  which,  to  ufe  the  language 
of  the  excellent  t)r.  Doddridge,  in  a  fimilar 
Cafcj  **  I  behold  with  equal  wonder  aiid  de- 
light ;  and  which j  if  a  nation  fhould  join  in 
deriding  it,  I  would  adore  as  the  finger  of 
God."* 

The  Prefident  and  Fellows  having  confer- 
red the  degree  of  Dodor  of  Laws  on  the 
Reverend  Dr.  Price* ;  in  a  letter  to  the  Prefi- 
dent, September  29,  h^  acknowledges  the 
honour,  with  the  politenefs  and  modefty 
which  characterized  that  eminent  man  :  "  I 
hope  Yale  College,  over  which  you  prefide, 
|b  will  accept  my  warmeft  thanks,  for  this  tef- 
timony  of  their  approbation.  I  fhould  be 
one  of  the  happiefl  of  mankind,  could  I 

think 

*  Life  of  Colonel  Gardiner. 


^88  THE    LIFE    OF 

think  that  the  account  given  of  me  fo  haftd-* 
fomely,  in  the  diploma,  did   not  go  beyond 

any  merit  that  I  can  juftly  claim. The 

eircumftance,  m:entioned  in  your  letter,  that 
the  honour  done  me  by  the  College,  was 
granted  me  at  the  lame  time  with  General 
Washington,  has  made  a  greater  impreC« 
fion  upon  me,  than  can  be  eafily  conceived^ 
It  is  a  eircumftance,  that  makes  the  honour 
diftinguifliing,  beyond  all  that  my  ambition 
could  reach  to.  General  Walhington's  name' 
muft  always  Ihine  among  the  firft,  in  the  an* 
nals  of  the  world.  It  will  go  down  to  all 
future  generations,  univerfally  applauded  and 
admired.  Mine,  perhaps,  may  follow  ;  but 
it  will  be  but  a  little  way,  and  at  a  vaft 
diftance." 

On  Lord*s  day,  November  23,  the  Prefi- 
dent  makes  the  following  foliloquy  :  "  This 
is  the  dominical  anniverfary  of  my  folemn 
public  dedication  to  the  blefled  Jefus,  in  the 
profeflion  of  his  holy  religion.  This  day, 
thirty-feven  years  ago,  I  entered  the  vine- 
yard. Oh  how  unfruitful !  I  do  not  re- 
trad  my  vows  j  but  would,  this  day,  renew 
and  re-feal  my  covenant  engagements  to  be 
the  Lord's.'* 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        2^ 

BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTIoi^. 

*'  I  HAVE,  this  day,  completed  the  56th, 
and  entered  upon  the  57th  year  of  my  age. 
And  now  that  I  am  advancing  in  years,  1 
have  to  recollect  the  great  variety  of  the 
deahngs  of  divine  Providence  towards  one, 
who  is  le/s  than  the  leaji  of  all  faints.  An 
infinitely  wife  and  holy  God  has  called  me 
to  pafs  through  a  great  variety  of  good  and 
evil.  May  all  be  fandiiied  to  me.  I  iiiid 
great  defedts  to  bemoan. 

"  I  am  in  great  dOubt,  as  to  rny  fpiritual 
ftate,  through  the  prevalence  of  paffion  and 
corruption.  Whether  I  fhall  ever  get  to 
heaven*  a:nd,  through  many  tribulations,  enter 
into  reft,  God  only  knows.  This  I  knoW^ 
that  I  am  one  of  the  moft  unworthy  of  all  the 
works  of  God.  O  that  I  could  be  more 
fmcere  and  perfe£t,  before  the  Lord  ! 

"  The  College  yet  flourifhes,  confifting  of 
270  under-graduates^  My  family  has  had 
ficknefs  and  health.  The  College  church  has 
had  a  w^onderful  work  of  grace  in  it,  the 
fummer  paft.  I  commit  myfelf,  the  College, 
my  Newport  church,  and  all  my  concerns, 
to  God." 

N  N  A.  D. 


290  THE    LIFE    OF 

J,  D,  M,DCC,LXXXIV.— ^TAT.  LVII. 

THE  Prefident's  eldeft  fon,  Ezra,  died 
on  the  2  2d  of  Auguft,  near  Edenton,  in 
North-Carolina.  He  was  a  young  man  of 
genius  and  talents,  and  qualified  to  make  a 
diftinguifhed  figure  in  his  profeffion  at  the 
bar.  His  afflicted  father  paid  to  his  mem- 
ory the  tribute  of  affedion  and  forrow,  in 
an  epitaph,  which  he  compofed,  and  caufed 
to  be  infcribed  on  a  ftone  erected  over  his 
grave. 

In  September,  he  attended  the  commence- 
ment at  Naflau-Hall,  in  New-Jerfey ;  on 
which  OGcafion,  the  Corporation  of  that 
college  conferred  on  him  the  degree  of  Doc- 
tor in  Divinity,  and  the  degree  of  Doctor  in 
civil  and  canon  Laws.  On  this  journey,  ac- 
companied by  Profeflbr  Wales,  he  vifited 
Long-Illand,  New- York,  Philadelphia,  and 
the  Moravian  Fraternity,  at  Bethlehem ; 
keeping  memoranda,  after  his  ufual  man- 
ner, of  w^hatever  occurred  worthy  of  pref- 
ervation. 

Age  feemed,  in  no  degree,  to  diminifh 
his  avidity  for  improvement.  A  proof  of 
this,  and  of  the  facility  with  which  he  ftiii 

acquired 


PRESIDENT   STILES.       291 

acquired  knowledge,  appears  in  his  ready 
acqulfition  of  the  French  language.  Hav- 
ing attended  to  it,  at  his  leifure  hours,  from 
the  middle  of  July,  under  the  diredlion  of 
a  French  teacher ;  in  November,  he  read 
through  the  firft  volume  of  Robertfon's  Hif- 
tory  of  America,  in  French,  in  five  days  ; 
and,  foon  after,  Telemachus,  in  fix  weeks. 
He  learned  this  language  very  opportunely  j 
for,  about  that  time,  Mr.  Jefferfon,  then 
Ambaflador  at  Paris,  with  whom  he  corref- 
ponded,  fent  him  feveral  volumes  of  French 
books:  and,  in  1787,  M.  Le  Marquis  de 
Chaftellux  fent  him  his  Voyages  dans  L* 
Amerique  Septentrionale. 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

*'  THE  year  paft  has  been  a  year  of  va- 
rious experience,  in  divine  providence — 
forrow  and  mercy.  My  moral  ftate  much 
as  for  feveral  years  paft  ; — great  mixtures  of 
fm  and  imperfection,  with  fome  enjoyment 
of  God,  and  the  maintenance  of  a  general 
courfe  of  the  duties  of  the  religious  life.  I 
have  been  very  happy  in  college  affairs ; 
and  the  Univerfity  has  been  nearly  in  as 

good 


292  THE    LI  IE    OF 

good  a  ftate,  as  to  literature,  religion,  peace, 
and  good  order,  as  could  be  reafonably  ex- 
peded.  It  pleafed  God,  that  I  fhould  be 
called  to  mourn  the  death  of  my  eldeft  fon, 
\vho  jiied  in  Auguft,  leaving  a  wife  and 
two  children.  I  have  felt  a  moft  pungent 
and  tender  diftrefs,  on  this  event.  May  it 
be  fandtified  to  me,  and  the  furviving  chil- 
flren,  which  God  hath  gracioufly  continued 
to  me. 

"  God  hath  given  me  much  opportunity 
for  occaiional  preaching,  and  ferving  at  the 
altar,  which  is  ftill  my  great  delight,  I 
love  the  pulpit,  and  the  table  of  the  Lord, 
On  the  2d  inftant,  I  married  my  daughter 
Kezia  to  Mr.  Sturges,  m.uch  to  my  fatisfac- 
tion.  I  commit  myfelf,  my  family,  the 
College,  and  my  yet  deftitute  Newport 
flock,  to  his  holy  keeping  and  prote(fl:ion/* 


-'XEZtpBEj^iSBSa&iM 


J.  D,  M,DCC,LXXXV.— .Etat.  LVIIL 

THE  Congregation  at  Newport,  having 
repaired  their  church,  defired^the  Prefident  to 
preach  the  firft  fermon.  He,  accordingly, 
vifited  Newport  in  the  fpring  vacation,  and 

preached 


PRESIDENT   STILES.        293 

preached  a  fermon,*   on  the   15th  of  May, 
adapted  to  the  joyful  occafion. 

He  proceeded  to  Briftol,  where  he  met  a 
number  of  minifters,  who  renewed  the 
Rhode-Ifland  Convention  of  Congregational 
paftors  ;  and,  as  the  fcribe  of  that  Conven- 
tion, he  dehvered  up  the  records.  He  was 
voted  a  permanent  member.  On  this  occa- 
fion, he  preached  the  Convention  Sermon. 

His  foHcitude  for  the  deflitute  churches, 
in  the  Southern  States,  having  prompted  him, 
in  1784,  to  fend  an  advifory  letter  to  the  wri- 
ter of  thefe  memoirs,  then  in  South-Carolina, 
counfeliing  him  to  begin  to  preach  the  Gof- 
pel :  he  now  offered  every  aid,  relative  to  his 
confecration  to  the  work  of  the  miniftry. 
By  his  advice,  application  was  made  to  the 
Corporation  of  Yale  College,  which  formed 
an  Ecclefiaftical  Council,  and  ordained  him, 
on  the  morning  after  commencement,  in  the 
College  chapel,  the  Prefident  making  the  or- 
daining prayer. 

Gratitude  conftrains  me  to  this  acknowl- 
(cdgment  of  the  early  and  unvarying  patron- 
age 

*  Text,  Haggai  ii.  9.  The  glory  of  this  latter  hoiife  Jhall 
he  greater  than  of  the  former,  faith  the  Lord  of  hojis  :  and  in 
this  pleifs  ivill  J  give  ^eace,  faith  the  Lord  of  hojis. 


294  THE     LIFE     OF 

age  of  this  philanthropic  man  :  and  it  fur- 
niihes  an  injflance,  among  many,  of  the  ac- 
tivity and  extent  of  his  fervdces  for  the  pro- 
motion of  Chriftianity. 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

"  THROUGH  the  wonderful  patience  of 
Heaven,  another  year  is  added  to  the  years 
of  my  wearifome  pilgrimage  on  earth.      The 

college  has  been  in  a  very  tranquil  ftate. 

I  have  an  extenfive  and  laborious  correfpon- 
dence  in  the  church  of  God,  and  in  the  learn- 
ed v^'-orld.  My  w^hole  li^'is  fuch  an  incef- 
fant  labour,  that  I  have  fcarcely  time  to  be 
religious.  I  hope  I  am  (landing  in  my  lot, 
and  fulfilling  my  day,  as  an  hireling.  While 
operated  upon  by  many  motives,  from  with- 
in, and  from  without,  I  hope  the  grace  and 
glory  of  God  are  fom.etimes  found  among 
them.  But,  O  the  imperfedtions,  the  wick- 
ednefs  of  heart  and  life  !  Enter  not  into 
judgment  with  me,  O  God  !  for,  unlefs 
fprinkled  with  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  the 
merit  of  my  all-glorious  and  "holy  Redeem- 
er, I  cannot  ftand  in  judgment  before  thee. 
To  this  all-atoning  blood  would  I  fly,  and 

take 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        295 

take  refuge  in  the  wounds  of  a  bleeding  Im- 
manuel.  My  fins  damp  my  joys  and  hopes  ; 
yet,  at  times,  and  this  frequently,  I  am  bleff- 
ed  with  views  and  apprehenfions  of  the 
great  Jehovah,  and  the  hohncfs  and  benevo-- 
lence  of  his  government,  which  I  would  not 
part  with  for  all  worlds.  Quicken  me, 
O  Lord,  in  thy  ftatutes." 

On  the  29th  of  December,  he  was  called 
to  the  trial  of  lofmg  his  fecond  daughter, 
Mrs.  Sturges^ 


J,D,  M,DCCJ.XXXVL— ^TAT.  LIX, 

HE  commenced  this  year  "  in  forrow  and 
deep  mourning,"  on  account  of  his  recent 
bereavement.  "  This  holy  Sabbath  is  filled 
with  variety  of  duties,  calling  for  our  whole 
attention.  It  is  a  new  year's  day  ;  it  is  a 
facramxcnt  day  ;  it  is  a  day  for  me  and  my 
mournful  family  to  prefent  ourfetves  in  the 
houfe  of  God,  with  humiliation,  and  ac- 
knowledgments of  filent  fubmiiTion  to  God's 
holy  hand  ;  and  to  feek  of  him  a  fandified 
improvement  of  this  providence,  fo  fpeaking 
to  me,  my  bereaved  fon-in-Iaw,  and  my  fur- 
Tiving  family."  p^^^^jj.^^ 


^g6  THE    LIFE    OF 

Profeflbr  Wales'  ill  health  requiring  him 
to  take  a  voyage  to  Europe,  an  additional 
weight  of  cares  and  labours  devolved  on  the 
Prefident,  v^ho  was  always  vigilantly  atten- 
tive to  the  theological  department. 

The  Church  and  Congregation,  at  New- 
port, finding  it  expedient,  at  length,  to  relin- 
quifh  their  claim  to  their  beloved  paftor,  took' 
meafures  for  a  re-fettlement.  Having  invited 
Mr.  William  Patten  to  the  paftoral  office,  and 
he  having  fignified  his  acceptance  j  the  Pref- 
ident, by  their  united  defire,  attended  his  or- 
dination, on  the  24th  of  May.  His  own 
paftoral  relation  being  not  yet  diflblved ;  at 
a  meeting  of  the  Church,  previoully  to  the 
ordination,  the  brethren  voted  to  accept  his 
reiignation  of  the  miniflry  ;  and  this  relation 
was  now  declared  to  be  diiTolved  by  mutual 
confent.  In  the  fucceeding  folemnity,  he 
affifted  in  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the 
prefbytery  ;  and  gave  the  charge. 

In  the  autumnal  vacation,  he  took  a  tour 
into  the  States  of  New- York  and  Vermont. 
In  this  journey,  he  met  with  a  young  man, 
who  had  formerly  been  his  pupil  at  college  ; 
and  who,  as  an  orphan-child,  and  a  youth  of 
a  fine  genius,  had  fliared,  among  many  oth- 
ers. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        297 

ers,  the  benefits  of  his  patronage.  Delight- 
ed with  the  fociety  of  his  Prefident  and  pat- 
ton,  he  accompanied  him  in  the  northern 
part  of  his  tour,  and  became  acquainted  with 
his  manner  of  travelling,  of  which,  in  a  letter^ 
he  gives  this  charaderiftic  (ketch  : 

"  This  morning,  I  had  fcarcely  opened 
my  eyes  on  the  dawn,  when  my  landlord 
informed  me  that  the  Preildent  was  in  town. 
I  ftarted  up,  mounted  a  horfe,  and  found  him 
eating  his  breakfaft  in  a  paltry  inn,  with  as 
much  good  humour  and  contentment,  as  he 

could  have  done  in  a  palace. — 1  fhall 

make  no  apology  for  fending  ycu  a  little 
hiftory  of  my  ride  to  Bennington,  whither 
my  dear  Preceptor  allowed  me  to  efcort  hira. 
As  this  vras  a  moll  delightful  tour,  I  dare  fay 
that  he  has  furnlfhed  you  vrith  many  curious 
particulars ;  but  fome,  which  demonilrate 
the  peculiar  goodnefs  of  his  heart,  I  am  fuf- 
picicus  his  modefty  has  concealed.  Thefe, 
like  his  other  virtues,  muil  be  celebrated  by 
his  friends. 1  fliall  not  tire  your  pa- 
tience by  a  defcription  of  the  bad  roads.     In 

ail    probability,    we    had    reached   C 

without  a  fmgle  adventure  ;  but  lo  I  when 
we  leaft  expected,  Nature  prefented  a  curi* 
O  o  outy. 


§9^  THE    LIFE    OF 

ofity.  The  remains  of  a  mighty  tree,  lairf 
low  in  duft,  tru€  emblem  of  fallen  greatnefs^ 
called  our  attentionv  We  alighted  in  a  mo- 
ment ;  found  it,  upon  menfuration,  to  be 
upwards  of  four  feet  in  diameter  ;  and  next 
counting  the  grains,  were  delighted  to  dif- 
eover  that  240  years  had  been  the  years  of  its^^ 

pilgrimage. "— We  arrived  at  C  about 

funfet ;  and,  as  neither  the  Prefident  nor  I 
make  corporeal  fuppers,  we  fat  down  to  a 
very  elegant  Hterary  rep  aft,  Heliogabulus,. 
that  imperial  epicure,  who  is  faid  to  have 
expended  half  a  million  on  a  meal^  never 
had  any  thing  to  equal  this. 

"  We  determined  to  take  in  our  route  the 
place  where  Count  Baum,  of  the  HeflianSy 
was  defeated,  in  1777.     Here  occurred  an 
inftance  of  the   Prelident's  humanity.     At 
one  of  the  houfes,  where  we  called  to  en- 
quire  concerning   the  battle,   a  gentleman 
Ihewed  us  feveral  human  bones,  which  had 
been  picked  up  in  the  fields.     The  tear  of 
pity  ftole  into  the  eye  of  my  venerable  com- 
panion  :  '  Thefe,  Sir,'  faid  he  to  the  perfon 
who    fhewed   them,   '  are   the    remains    of 
fome  unhappy  mortal.     The  defire  of  glory, 
or,  perhaps,  the  commands  of  a  tyrant,  led  / 

hiia 


PRESIDENT  STILES-         299 

him  here.  He  is  now  no  more.  Let  us 
forgive  the  enemy,  and  refpe^t  the  man. 
Perhaps  he  has  left  a  mother,  a  fifter,  or  even 
a  tenderer  connexion,  who,  at  this  moment^ 
is  lamenting  his  lofs.  How  exqui^te  mud 
their  feelings  be,  did  they  know,  that  his 
bones  lie  thus  neglected,  mid  unburied ! 
For  the  honour  of  humanity,  Sir,  I  will  give 
your  fervant  a  reafonable  compenfation,  if 
you  will  let  him  bury  them  in  the  earth.' 
The  man,  to  whom  this  pathetic  requeft 
was  addreiTed,  feemed  to  feel  but  little, 
though  he  was  very  clever  and  obliging. 
I  have,  however,  the  fatisfacSlion  to  affure 
you,  that,  on  my  return  from  Bennington, 
I  enforced  this  requeft,  and  faw  thofe  mor- 
tifying remains  -of  mortality  interred  in  the 
parent  duft.  That  unfortunate  foldier, 
whofe  bones,  for  nine  long  y^ars,  lay  bleach- 
ing on  the  heights  of  Woolomfcoe,  has  now 
as  foft  a  bed,  as  the  Alexanders,  the  Pom- 

peys,    or   the  Cxfars. — While    I   am 

among  the  tombs,  let  me  tell  you,  we  paid 
a  vifit  to  the  grave  of  the  Count  de  Baum. 
He  lies  buried  hard  by  the  river's  brink  5 
and  a  little  rifmg  of  the  turf,  alone,  diflin* 

guilhes  his  grave. We  were  dlfappoint- 

ed 


300  THE    LIFE    OF 

ed  to  fee  the  grave  of  this  great  commander 
fo  wretchedly  negledted  ;  and,  firft,  thought 
of  opening  a  fubfcription,  for  the  purpofe  of 
ere<fting  a  decent  ftone  :  but,  being  informed 
that  his  mother  is  living,  in  Germany,  the 
Prefident  adopted  the  refolution  of  writing 
to  her,  through  the  channel  of  Sir  Willianx 
Howe. 

"  The  country  round  Bennington  is  high- 
ly romantic.  In  moft  places,  we  command- 
ed an  extenfive  horizon — long  tradts.of  low 
land,  variegated  with  young  orchards,  de-. 
cent  cottages,  terminated  by  the  Green 
Mountains,  the  afcent  of  which  is  frequent-, 
ly  vAth  a  flope,  truly  pidurefque^  The 
mountains,  here,  give  us  not  the  idea  of  the 
walls  of  a  prifon,  which  I  have  fometimes 
had  in  the  high  lands,  but  of  vail  a.iry  col- 
umns, ranged  at  unequal  diftances,  to  fup- 
port  the  great  vault  of  heaven.  In  one  of 
the  little  drawings  I  fend  you,  you  will  find 
a  tolerably  good  view  of  the  country,  and  par-, 
ticularly  you  will  obferve  the  Hope  of  the  hills, 
v/hich  attracfled  our  admiration  fo  ftrongly. 

"  The  Prefident  fancied  this  place  bore  a 
flrong  refemblancc  to  his  favourite  Paleftina  ; 
and  drew  a  beautiful  comparifon,  in  terms 
that  were  nearly  poetical,     I  have  taken  the 

freedom 


PRESIDENT   STILES.       301 

freedom  of  reducing  his  obfervatlons  into 
vcrfe  : 

'Tis  thu<;,  (he  cried)  as  hufli'd  in  foft  repofe. 
On  Zion's  plains  the  facred  Jordan  flows  ; 
Thus  rife  his  banks,  with  palms  and  willows  crown'd. 
Where  Salem's  virgins,  to  the  filver  found 
■     Of  myftic  cymbals,  danc'd.      On  every  fide. 
Thus  Juda's  mountains  rife,  in  airy  pride. 
Thus  Olivet,  where  erft  th'  incarnate  God, 
Retiring  v/ith  his  faithful  followers,  trod— 
Whence,  as  in  dazzling  majcfly  he  rofe. 
He  faw  the  fapphire  gates  of  heaven  unclofe  ; 
Wrapp'd  in  effulgence,  met  the  angelic  throng, 
Aild  heard  their  lyre  av;ake  the  vidlor  fong  ! " 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

<*  ANOTHER  Heeting  year  of  my  life  is 
now  completed  5  and,  this  day,  I  enter  on 
jny  fixtieth  year.  Old  age  is  now  come  up- 
on  me,  and  I  find  myfelf  in  the  decline  of 

life. In  the  religious  and  divine  life, 

I  have  been  rather  ftationary  ;  although,  I 
hope,  daily  endeavouring  to  live  for  heaven. 

"  I  journeyed,  this  fall,  to  Albany,  Fort 
Edward,  and  Lake  George,  and  made  many 
obfervatlons,  ufeful  and  agreeable.  My 
health,  for  three  months  paft,  has  been,  and 
Hill  is,  im.paired  ;  and  God  only  knovvS  the 
iffue  of  my  Infirmity.  May  I  be  prepared 
for  all  events!"      .  J,D. 


302  THE    LIFE    OF 

A,  D,  M,DCC,LXXXVIL— iETAT.  LX, 

IN  May,  he  was  chofen  a  correfponding 
Secretary  of  the  Connedicut  Society  of  Arts 
and  Sciences  ;*  of  which  he  had  been  ele€k-»» 
ed  a  member,  the  preceding  yean 

His  worthy  and  valued  friend,  the  Rev^ 
crend  Mr.  Whittelfey,  died  on  the  a4th  of 
July,  In  addition  to  all  the  tender  and  re- 
ligious attentions  of  Chriftian  friendfhip, 
during  his  laft  iilnefs,  the  Prefident  paid  the 
tribute  due  to  his  memory,  in  a  Difcourfef 
delivered  at  the  funeral  folemnity.J 

This 

*  Founded  in  May,  1786. 

-J-  Text,  Matt.  xxv.  zo,  21.    This  Difcourfe  was  printed. 

:j:  The  Reverend  ChauiKey  Whittelfey  was  bom  at 
Wallingford,  in  17 17  }  and  educated  at  Yale  Colleges 
wheie  he  graduated  in  1738.  He  was,  foon  after,  eled- 
ed  a  Tutor  in  that  feminary,  in  which  office  he  continued 
fix  years.  "  He  was  an  excellent  claffical  fcholar,  ancj 
was  well  acquainted  with  the  general  cyclopedia  of  lit- 
erature."^ He  was  ordained,  March  i,  1758,  a  paftor 
of  the  firft  church  in  New-Haven,  where  he  continued  in 
the  miniftry  nearly  30  years.  "  He  devoted  himfelf  to 
the  work,  and  applied  to  the  theological  fludies,  and  the 
duties  of  the  paftoral  office,  with  an  ardour,  zeal,  and  aA 
fiduity,  equalled  by  few,  and  exceeded  by  none."  |[  < 
**  He  was  diftinguilhed  as  a  gentleman,  fcholar,  Chriftian* 
and  divine." 51 

§  Preftdeni  Stilei*  Sermon.  ||  Ihli. 

%  Dr.  Dana's  Sermon  on  the  death  of  Mr,  Whiitelfey, 


1 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       303 

This  year  alfo  died  at  Bofton,  his  friend  and 
correfpondent,  the  Reverend  Dr,  Chauncy** 


A.B,  M,DGC,LXXXVIIL'— ^Etat.LXL 

HIS  fondnefs  for  inveftigation,  and  his 
acquaintance  with  hiftory  and  antiquity,  ap- 
pear in  a  correfpondence,  between  him  and 
Noah  Webfter,  Efqulre,  (well  known  by  his 
philological  and  various  other  publications) 
on  the  fubje£t  of  the  fortifications  recently 
difcovered  in  the  weftern  country.  This 
correfpondence  was  publifhed  in  the  Ameri- 
can Magazine,  in  1788. 

The  Society,  at  Nevz-York,  for  the  manu- 
miflion  of  flaves,  "  wifhing  to   fhew  their 

refpedt 

*  The  Reverei>d  Charles  Chauncy,  D.D.  was  ordained 
to  the  paftoral  care  of  tlie  firft  church  in  Bofton,  in  1727, 
and  died  in  1787,  ^tat.  83.  Memoirs  of  his  charafler^ 
by  the  eminent  author  of  the  American  Biogra- 
PHV,  may,  in  due  time,  be  expe-fted  by  the  public, 
which  muft  learn  with  pleafure,  his  "  intention  to  in- 
troduce,"  into  that  extenfive  and  important  work,   *'  a 

Hiftory  and   Biography  of  Harvard   College." The 

firft  church  in  Bofton  has  fuftained  a  great  lofs,  in  the 
late  death  of  their  refpedtable  and  much  efteemed  paftor, 
the  Reverend  Dr.  Clarke,  who  was  fettled  a  colleague 
with  Dr.  Chauncy,  on  the  day  of  Dr.  Stiles'  indudtion 
•nto  the  prefidency. 


304  THE    LIFE    OF 

tefped  to  gentle  meiij  who  are  eminent  for 
their  attachment  to  the  rights  of  men  in  gen- 
eral, and  particularly  to  thofe  \vho  efpoufe 
the  caufe  of  t^e  enflaved  Africans,"  admit- 
ted Dr.  Stiles  as  an  honourary  member. 

At  the  commencement,  in  September,  the 
Corporation  of  Yale  College  conferred  the 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  on  the  enlighten- 
ed and  patriotic  ftatefman,  John  Adams, 
now  Prefident  of  the  United  States.      In  his 
letter  of  acknowledgment  to  Prefident  Stiles, 
he  pays  a  handfome  tribute  to  the  Univer- 
fity,  and  to  the  State  of  Connedicut :    **  If 
this  honourary  degree  is,  as  you  inform  me, 
to  be  confidered  as  a  token  of  afFedion  and 
ejfteem,  I  {hall  certainly  hold  it  among  the 
moft  precious  of  things  ;  fince  nothing  can 
be  more  pleafmg  to  me,  or  more  fatisfadory 
to  my  higheft  ambition,  than  the  approbation 
of  an  Univerfity,  which  has  diftinguifhed  it- 
felf  in  literature,  among  the  foremoft   in 
America,  and  which  is  the  light  of  a  Com- 
monwealth that  I  efteem  the  pureft  portion 
of  mankind.** 

BIRTH- 


PRESIDENT  STILES,         305 

BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

"  WHEN  I  review  my  life,  from 


my  earliefl:  years  to  this  day,  I  find  it  filled 
with  the  care,  protection,  and  goodnefs  of 
Heaven— filled  with  infirmities  of  body  and 
mind — filled  with  imperfection  and  fin.  My 
fins  are  fo  numerous,  fo  conftant,  fo  pre- 
vailing, and  fo  uncontrollable,  that  I  am 
covered  with  remorfe  and  confufion.  I 
know  that  the  atonement  and  merits  of  my 
Redeemer  are  all-fufiicient  ;  and  fo  they  are 
for  all  the  miferable  in  hell.  But,  the  im- 
perfections, follies,  and  iniquities  of  ,my  life, 
and  of  my  very  heart,  excite  in  me  great 
doubts  and  fears,  left  I  (hall  prove  a  caft- 
away.  I  keep  up,  indeed,  a  conftant,  daily, 
and  unremitted  courfe  of  prayer,  reading  of 
the  Scriptures,  meditation,  and  mental  devo- 
tion ;  and  am  habitually  feeking  God's 
grace,  and  energetic  influence,  to  enlighten 
and  fanCtify  me.  But,  alas  !  how  little  prog- 
refs  do  I  make  in  religion  ! 

"  Every  year  is  filled  with  experience  of 

the  care,  of  Providence.      My  health  has 

been  not  worfe,  but  rather  better,  the  year 

paft,  than  the  year  preceding.     All  my  chil- 

P  p  dren 


THE    LIFE    OF 

dren  are  at  home  with  me.  I  am  full  of 
concern  for  their  virtue,  in  this  critical  period 
of  their  lives  :  May  God  mercifully  preferve 
them.— — I  have  been  favoured  with  a  com- 
J)etency  of  the  good  things  of  this  life.  The 
College  is,  and  has  been,  in  a  good  ftate.  I 
am  bleffed  with  friends  ;  and  hope  I  have 
tiot  difobliged  an  extenfive  and  numerous 
acquaintance. — - — I  contemplate  the  public 
affairs,  and  the  flate  of  the  churches,  with 
very  confiderable  complacency  ;  afid  yet 
there  are  in  both,  afpedts  that  mingle  pain 
with  pleafure.  New  divinity  exceffes,  on 
the  one  hand,  and  Socinian  errors,  on  the 
other,  chequer  the  ftate  of  the  churches.  I 
leave  all  with  Jefus,  in  whom  are  my  only 
hope  and  truft.  Oh  that  I  may  approve 
myfelf  a  humble,  fincere,  and  faithful  fer- 
vant  of  fo  divine  a  Mafter  \  to  whom  I 
renewediy  confccratc  myfelf* 


A,D.  M,DCC,LXXXIX.—iiTAT.  LXII. 

CONVINCED,  by  obfervation  and  ex- 
periments, that  the  culture  of  filk  might  be 
carried  on  with  fuccefs  and  profit,  in  New- 

Englaad, 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        3*07 

England,  he,  this  year,  took  great  pahis  for 
the  extenfive  diftribution  of  mulberry  feedj 
as  the  firft  ftep  towards  this  manufacture. 
He  fent  an  eftimated  quantity  of  feed  to 
eighty  miniilers,  in  Conneccicut,  with  a 
printed  circular  letter,  defiring  them,  by 
themfelves,  or  by  fuch  perfons  as  they  might 
employ  in  their  parlfhes,  to  fow,  each,  a 
nurfery  of  4000  trees  in  a  parifh,  on  this- 
condition.  That,  at  the  end  of  three  years, 
three  quarters  of  the  trees,  then  living,  be- 
long to  the  planters,  and  one  quarter  to 
be  diftributed  gratis^  in  the  refpective 
parifhes, 

About  midnight,  June  10,  his  houfe  was 
ftruck  with  lightning.  A  rafter,  in  the 
garret,  was  torn  out  the  whole  length,  from 
the  chimney  to  the  eves  ;  and  one  of  tha 
floors  was  fplintered.  The  lightning  ran 
down  the  chimney  in  two  of  its  funnels, 
and  down  the  fide  of  the  houfe  £0  the 
ground.  No  perfon  received  any  injury. 
*'  It  pleafed  God,"  faith  he,  "  to  preferve  me 
and  my  family  :  Through  his  gracious  prov- 
idence, we  efcaped  inflant  death,  although 
all  of  us  were  furrounded  wHth  fuch  a  pro-? 
fufion  of  the  ele<2;rical  fluid,  that  it  was  next 

*      tc 


3o8  THE    LIFE    OF 

to  a  miracle  that  we  were  preferved."  With 
this  great  prefervation  he  was  fenfibly  affect- 
ed ;  and  to  his  expreflions  of  gratitude,  he 
adds  the  pious  petition  :  "  May  we  devote 
our  fpared  lives  to  the  glory  of  God,  and 
confider  this  as  a  merciful  admonition  of 
Heaven  to  be  prepared  for  fudden  death  !" 

In  the  autumnal  vacation,  he  vifited  New- 
York,  where  he  derived  much  pleafure  from 
an  interview  with  the  Prefident  of  the  United 
States,  and  an  attendance  on  the  Congrefs, 
then  in  feflion. 

Prefident  Wafhington  being  at  New-Ha-. 
ven,  October  17,  on  his  tour  through  the 
Eaftern  States,  Prefident  Stiles  compofed  a 
refped:ful  addrefs  ;  and,  accompanied  by  the 
Congregational  miniflers  of  New-Haven, 
prefented  it  to  him,  in  their  name. 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

*'  THE  year  paft,  I  have  been  the  fubje<rk 
of  great  mercies.    My  conftitution,  labouring 

with  infirmities,  has  rather  meliorated. 

I  have  had  fome  confirmation  in  religion  ; 
and  hope  I  have,  in  fome  meafure,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  improved  in  the  divine  life. 

My 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        309 

My  hopes  of  heaven  are  rather  brighter ;  and, 
by  God's  grace,  I  have  been  enabled  to  live 
more  ferenely,  and  with  a  more  uniform  and 
devoted  fmcerity.      But  ftill,  oh  my  imper- 

perfedions  1 The    good   Lord    pardon, 

ftrengthen,  and  eftablifh  me  in  perfevering 
virtue  and  holinefs.— ■ 1  renewediy  de- 
vote myfelf  to  that  God,  who  hath  kept  me 
to  old  age.  May  his  grace  abound  to  a  moft 
unworthy  difciple  of  the  blefled  Jefus." 


A.  D,  M,DCC,XC.— iETAT.  LXIIL 

TO  his  old  and  refpedted  friend  Dr. 
Franklin,  he  wrote  a  letter,  January  28, 
foliciting  his  portrait  for  Yale  College.  .In 
this  letter,  he  delicately  exprefles  his  defire 
to  know  the  Dodor's  fentiments  on  Chrif- 
tianity.  "  You  know,  Sir,  I  am  a  Chriftian  ; 
and,  would  to  Heaven,  all  others  were  as  I 
am,  except  my  imperfedlions.  As  much  as 
I  know  of  Dr.  Franklin,  Lhave  not  an  idea 
of  his  religious  fentiments.  I  wiH-i  to  know 
the  opinion  of  my  venerable  friend  concern- 
ing Jefus  of  Nazareth.  He  will  not  impute 
this  to  impertinence,  or  improper  curiofity, 

in 


3io  THE    LIFE    OF 

in  one,  who,  for  many  years,  has  continued 
to  love,  eftimate,  and  reverence  his  abilities, 
and  literary  character,  with  an  ardor  of 
affection,  If  I  have  laid  too  much,  let  the 
requeft  be  blotted  out,  and  be  no  more." 

The  DotStor,  in  his  reply  to  the  Prefident, 
March  9,  obferved,  "  I  do  not  take  your 
curiofity  amifs,  and  ihall  endeavour,  in  a  few 
words,  to  gratify  it.— ^ — As  to  Jeius  of  Naz« 
areth,  my  opinion  of  whom  you  particularly 
defire,  I  think  the  fyftem  of  morals,  and  his 
religion,  as  he  left  them  to  us,  the  beft  the 
world  ever  faw,  or  is  likely  to  fee  j  but  I 
apprehend  it  has  i'eceived  various  corrupting 
changes  ;  and  I  have,  with  moll  of  the 
prefent  Diffenters  in  England,  fome  doubts 
as  to  his  divinity." 

Dr.  Franklin  died  on  the  17th  of  April, 
the  fame  year.* 

In 

*  Benjamin  Franklin,  LL.  D.  and  a  member  of  the  prin* 
cipal  literary  Societies  in  Europe  and  America,  was  born 
in  Bofton,  January  6,  1706,  and  lived  to  the  advanced 
age  of  84.  The  fame  of  this  great  man,  as  a  philofipher 
and  2.J}aiefmant  is  fpread  through  both  hemifplicres.  One 
line  {applied  to  him,  if  I  rightly  remember,  in  a  French 
xnedal)  prefents  him  ftrongly  to  view  in  both  chnra-flers  .' 
Eripitit  fiilnien  cdo,  fcept  runt  que  tyrannis. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        311 

In  Auguft,  the  Prefident  affifted  in  forming 
a  Society  for  the  abolition  of  flavery  ;  and, 
with  fourteen  others,  figned  its  conftitiitioni 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECT  I  ON. 

"  I  AM,  this  day,  6;^  years  old,  and  am 
entering  on  the  64th  year  of  my  age.  It  is 
with  God,  whether  I  fhall  live  to  fee  the 
end  of  iti  Every  year  of  life  brings  its  va- 
rious experience,  as  well  as  advances  us,  by 
a  fwift  progrefs,  to  the  eternal  world.  In 
the  courfe  of  the  laft  year,  I  have  experien- 
ced much  of  the  goodnefs  of  my  heavenly 
Eather,  I  have  lived  to  the  grand  climac- 
teric. For  four  years  paft,  I  have  been  in  a 
decline,  as  to  health  ;  but  it  has  pleafed  God 
that,  contrary  to  all  expectation,  it  has  become 

meliorated. 1  have  married  my  daughter 

Mary,  to  - — > the  Reverend  Mr. 

Holmes,  and  parted  with  them  both,  for  the 
diftant  and  dangerous  climate  of  Georgia. 
I  commend  them  to  the  grace  of  God  ;  as  I 
do  alfo  my  abfent  fon,  now  on  a  voyage  to 

Great-Britain. 1  have  had  more  fatisfac- 

tion  and  comfort,  as  to  religion,  for  the  year 

paft,   than    formerly. Three   of   my 

daughters 


312  THE     LIFE     OF 

daughters  have  made  profeflion  of  re- 
ligion, and  joined  the  church.  Amidft 
many  troubles,  I  have,  through  God*s  good 
providence,  enjoyed  many  blefTmgs.  May  I 
live  devoted  to  that  God,  who  is  the  length 
of  my  days,  and  the  foundation  of  all  my 
hopes." 


A,  D.  M,DCC,XCI.— ^TAT.  LXIV. 

ON  the  day  after  the  public  commence- 
ment, September  15,  the  Prefident  attended 
at  the  College  chapel,  as  a  delegate,  at  a  con- 
vention of  delegates  of  the  General  AfTembly 
of  the  Prefbyterian  church  in  the  United 
States,  and  of  the  General  Aflbciation  of  the 
State  of  Conne£ticut.  The  object  of  this 
convention,  was,  the  eftablifhment  of  an  ex- 
plicit union  and  intercourfe  between  thefe 
two  ecclefiaftical  bodies,  and  the  churches 
with  which  they  were  connedted.  Among 
other  articles,  in  the  refult  of  this  convention, 
it  was  recommended,  That  effectual  meafures 
be  mutually  taken,  to  prevent  injuries  to  the 
refpedlive  churches,  from  irregular  and  unau- 
thorized preachers  ;    and,   to   promote  this 

end. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       313 

end,  that  every  preacher,  travelling  from  the 
limits  of  one  of  thefe  churches,  into  thofe  of 
the  other,  be  furnifhed  with  recent  teftimo- 
nials  of  his  regular  Handing,  and  good  char- 
acter, as  a  preacher.  It  was  alfo  agreed, 
Th^t  each  body  fhould,  from  time  to  time, 
appoint  a  committee  of  three  members,  who 
Ihali  have  a  right  to  fit  in  the  others'  general 
meeting,  and  make  fuch  communications  as 
Ihall  be  directed  by  their  refpeCtive  conftitu- 
ents,  and  deliberate  on  fuch  matters  as  fhall 
come  before  the  body  ;  but  fhall  have  no 
right  to  vote.  "  We  wilhed,'*  fays  the 
Prefident,  "to  have  comprehended  the  re- 
fpedable  Synod  of  the  Dutch  churches,  per- 
haps 80  or  100,  in  this  union  :  but,  though 
we  have  a  cordial  and  fraternal  love  and 
refpedt  for  them,  this  is  not  yet  effected.  I 
could  wifh,  alfo,  the  fraternal  comprehenlioii 
of  the  German  churches,  both  Lutheran  and 
Calviniftic.  Perhaps  it  may,  in  time,  take 
place.  When  will  the  happy  time  come, 
when  all  who  love  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  ia 
fincerity  and  truth,  will  alfo  love  one  another, 
and  live  together  as  brethren,  indulging  one 
another  our  religious  peculiarities,  when  we 
find  that  we  are  grounded  and  united  in 
Q^Q^  thcfe 


^X4  THE    LIFE    OF 

thofe  few  great  principles  of  our  holy  relig- 
ion, which  will  carry  us  all  up  to  the  realms 
of  harmony  and  peace,  to  that  blefled  worlds 
where  our  trifling  differences  will  be  all  ab- 
forbed  in  higher  light,  and  univerfal  love  1  "* 

Thefe  remarks  evince,  that  he  continued,' 
through  life,  to  cherifll  thofe  divine  princi- 
ples of  Chriftian  liberality  and  benevolence,- 
which  he  had  very  early  imbibed,  and 
which  uniformly  gave  a  luftre  to  his  relig- 
ious chara^er.f 

On  the  anniverfary  6f  his  public  profef- 
fion  of  religion,  he  has  the  following  reflec- 
tions :  "  May  I  never  forget  the  folemnity 
of  my  dedication  to  God  j  never  forget,  that 
the  vows  of  Jefus  are  upon  me  !  Now,  ; 
that  I  have  been  in  the  vineyard  forty-five 
years,  I  would  not  be  difunited  from  the 
bleflTed  Saviour,  nor  retraft  my  vows  and 
covenant  obligations,   for  all  worlds.     Oh 

that 

*  Letter  to  Profeflbr  Ebeling,  Mzrch  20,  1795- 

f  This  year  died  Mrs.  Catharine  Macaulay  Graham, 
whofe  charaifter,  as  an  authorefs,  and  an  advocate  for  lib- 
erty, is  well  known  to  the  world.  She  folicited  a  cor- 
refpondence  with  Prefident  Stiles,  which  was  maintained 
for  feveral  years ;  and  cxprefTed  great  regret,  that,  in 
&er  tour  through  the  United  States,  after  the  revolution- 
ary war,  flie  mi/Ted  of  an  Interview  with  her  congenial 
correfpoadent. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       315 

that  I  had  lived  better ! — The  good  Lord 
pardon,  purify,  have  mercy  on  a  finning 
and  repenting,  a  repenting  and  finning,  a 
reforming  and  relapfmg,  a  variable  and 
worthlefs  profeflbr  ;  who  yet,  if  he  knows 
his  own  heart,  in  his  calm  moments,  wifhes 
to  be  the  Lord's,  wifhes  to  be  pm-ified  from 
all  iniquity,  and  to  live  a  holy  life." 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

*'  THE  year  paft,  I  have  been  lefs  weigh-* 
cd  down  with  infirmities,  than  the  precede 
ing  year.  I  have  experienced  many  mer- 
cies granted  to  me  and  my  family.  My 
daughter  returned  from  Midway,  in  Geor- 
gia,    My  fon  in  law,  Mr.  H ,  having 

refigned  his  miniflry  in  Georgia,  on  account 
of  the  climate,  has  an  immediate  call  to  fet- 
tle in  the  pafloral  office,  in  the  church  of 
Cambridge,  near  Bofton,  which  he  has  ac- 
cepted. Thus  gracioufly  hath  God  order-^ 
ed  with  refpect  to  thefe  my  children.  My 
fon  Ifaac  returned  from  fea ;  and,  lail  week, 
I  had  all  my  children  about  me  at  my  table. 
God  hath  enabled  me  to  purcliafe  a 
houfe^  to  leave  to  a  bereaved  family,  when 

God 


3i6  THE    LIFE    OF 

God  fhall  take  me  to  hlmfelf. — I  have  beea 
comfortable  in  College  adminiftrations. — 
I  have,  blefled  be  God,  had  fome  fmgular 
fpirltual  comforts,  and  more  fatisfa6tion  as  to 
my  fpiritual  ftate.  May  God  confirm  me 
in  grace  and  holinefs,  and  in  a  good  hope, 
an  undeceiving  hope,  of  a  happy  immor-^ 
tality. 

"  Through  the  lengthened  patience  of  a 
holy  God,  my  life  has  been  protracted  to 
old  age.  May  God  not  forfake  me,  now 
that  I  am  old  and  grey-headed.  The  near- 
er I  approach  to  that  awful,  and  oh  that  it 
may  be  a  glorious,  eternity,  before  me,  the 
more  may  I  be  abflra6ted  from  this  world, 
the  more  heavenly  minded  may  I  become, 
and  the  more,  by  divine  grace,  fitted  for  the 
world  of  holinefs,  reft,  and  peace.  May 
the  folemnities  of  eternity  come  with  a  daily 
increafmg  weight  upon  my  foul,  and  urge 
me  to  more  vigilance  and  vigour  in  the  di- 
vine life. To  the  moft  high  God,  and  to 

his  grace,  I  commit  myfelf,  my  family,  the 
College,  the  church  of  God,  my  all.  May 
I  be  entirely  devoted  to  the  divine  Jefus. 
Amen." 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        317 

J,D,  M,DCC,XCII.— ^TAT.  LXV. 

THE  travels  of  the  learned  Bruce  fur- 
nifhed  the  Prefident  a  rich  and  copious  re- 
paft.  He  read  them  with  great  avidity, 
and  copied  the  mod  valuable  parts,  particu- 
larly the  maps,  into  his  Literary  Diary.  In 
April,  he  addrelTed  a  letter  to  Mr.  Bruce, 
to  folicit  more  explicit  information  on  fome 
points  of  AbyfTian  geography  and  hiftory. 
He  enquires,  whether  there  are  any  bifh- 
ops  in  Abyffinia,  befides  the  Abuna ;  and 
whether  the  priefts  ever  ordain,  or  join  with 
the  Abuna,  in  the  admiffion  either  of  pref- 
byters,  or  deacons  ? — What  is  the  number 
of  the  clergy,  colledively,  through  all  parts 
of  the  empire  ;  the  number  of  the  two  or- 
ders of  monks,  St.  Euftatius,  and  Dibra  Li- 
banos  ;  the  number  of  inhabitants  for  the 
whole  collective  body  of  kingdoms  and 
provinces,  fubjecSt  to  and  acknowledging  the 
fovereignty  of  the  king  of  Abyffinia  ? — 
What  proportion  there  is  of  Chriftians,  and 
what  of  Pagans  ;  and  whether  the  Negro 
Pagans  and  Arab  Pagans  have  the  fame  Sa- 
bean  religion  ? — What  proportion  the  Galla 
and   Shangalla   together   may    make  ;    the 

fame 


3i8  THE    LIFE    OF 

fame  for  the  Arabs,  as  diflingulfKed  from, 
the  Abyffinians  F'^^Have  the  Jews,  of  Sa- 
men,  any  fynagogues,  or  places  of  wor- 
ihip  ?  Have  they  the  aniverfary  feafts,  as 
well  as  Sabbaths  ?  Have  they  a  liturgy, 
and  priefts,  and  facrifices  ? 

He  then  gives  a  learned  difcuffion  re- 
fpe6ting  the  field  of  Matthew's  apoftolical 
labours ;  and,  Bruce  having  fhewn  that  it 
could  not  be  AbyfTmia,  he  judges  it  muft 
have  been  Meroe.  He,  accordingly,  afks 
the  learned  traveller,  if  he  has  any  recollec- 
tion, whether  the  Shaws  of  Abyflinia  have 
any  notices  of  Matthew,  as  labouring  at 
Meroe  ?  Whether  it  may  not  be  received  by 
them,  that  he  converted  that  part  of  Africa, 
though  not  their  country?  Whether  there 
may  not  be  found  fome  relids  of  oppreffed 
Africans  of  St.  Matthew,  in  lower  Ethiopia  ? 
And,  whether  he  found  any  account,  in 
Abyflinia,  of  the  extirpation  of  Homerites 
from  Arabia  ? 

The  General  Aflembly  of  Conne£ticut, 
In  May,  pafled  an  A£t  "  for  enlarging  the 
Powers,  and  increafmg  the  funds  of  Yale 
College."  This  AO:  granted  to  that  Semi- 
nary a  very  generous  donation,  on  condi- 
tion 


1>RESIDENT   STILES.        319 

tion  that  the  Governor,  Lieutenant-Gov- 
ernor, and  fix  fenior  Counfellors,  be  affo- 
clated  with  the  Corporation,  in  the  Colle- 
giate government.  The  Prefident,  who  had 
not  expected  fuch  propofals  from  the  Legif- 
lature,  as  would  meet  the  views  of  the  Cor- 
poration, or  coincide  with  their  judgment 
of  the  original  intention  of  the  charter,  was 
agreeably  impreffed  with  the  firft  view  of 
this  A(5t.  He  eonfidered  it  **  a  grand  and 
liberal  donation,  and  a  noble  candefcenfion." 
"  It  will  do,  faid  he,  and  will  be  finally  ac- 
cepted. It  may  be  mutually  beneficial,  by 
preferving  a  religious  Magiftracy,  and  a 
more  catholic  Clergy,  It  will  unite  Mofes 
and  Aaron.  It  will  extinguifh  the  jealoufy 
of  the  civilians  towards  the  clergy  ;  and 
promote  a  firiendly  difpofitlon  towards  the 
College  throughout  the  State."*  The  event 
confirmed  the  exadtnefs  of  his  judgment. 

The  General  Aflbciation  of  the  State  of 
Connedicut  chofe  Prefident  Stiles  one  of  a 
committee  of  four  to  the  General  AfTembly, 
to  folicit  its  faniStion  of  a  general  contribu- 
tion throughout  the  State,  for  the  purpofe 

of 

*  Literary  Diary.  See  a  particular  aceount  of  this 
Revolution,  in  the  Hiftory  of  Yale  College,  fubjoiaed  in 
the  Appendir. 


320  THE    LIFE    OF 

of  fupporting  miffionaries  to  the  new  fettle- 
ments,  in  the  northern  and  wellern  parts  of 
the  United  States.  The  petition  was  grant- 
ed. An  A6t  was  pafled,  authorifmg  contri- 
butions for  three  years  :  confiderable  fums 
were  raifed  :  and  the  Frefident  a6ted  as  one 
of  the  ftated  committee  of  the  General  Af- 
fociation,  for  the  purpofes  of  receiving  the 
contributions,  dired:ing  the  miffions,  and 
fetthng  accounts  with  the  miffionaries.  He 
improved  with  pleafure  this  favourable  op- 
portunity of  exerting  his  influence  for  the 
diffufion  of  religious  knowledge,  and  for 
the  early  eftablifhment  of  Chriftian  churches. 
In  0<ftober,  he  was  eleded  a  correfpond- 
ing  member  of  the  Maffachufetts  Hiftorical 
Society. 


BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

«  HAVING,  this  day,  arrived  to  the  end 
of  the  65th  year  of  my  age,  I  have  employ- 
ed it  in  re-meditating  the  mercies  of  God 

to  me  through  my  life. Through  the 

great  goodnefs  of  God,  my  health  has  been 
confiderably  meliorated,  during  the  pall  year  j 
and,  though  ftill  encompaffed  with  frequent 

and 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        321 

and  threatening  infirmities,  I  hare  been  bet- 
ter, this  year,  than  for  fix  years  paft.  But  I 
am  now  arrived  into  real  old  age  ;  and  muft 
foon  expe<fi  to  finifli  the  tranfitory  fcene. 
livery  thing  reminds  me  of  my  departure 
hence.  I  continue^  to  a  degree,  in  an  un- 
comfortable and  doubtful  ftate,  as  to  my 
profpeds  of  immortality.  Yet,  blefled  be 
God,  I  feel  more  and  more  eftablifhed  in 
my  belief  of  the  great  and  momentous  things 
of  religion.  I  think  I  have  more  religious 
comfort  and  ferenity  :  I  hope  I  am  making 
fome  progrefs  in  the  heavenly  and  divine 
life  ;  and  that  it  is  my  daily  care,  to  live  de- 
voted to  God,  and  the  Redeemer,  whom, 
though  I  have  not  feen,  yet,  I  think,  I  ar- 
dently love,  and  to  whom  I  defire  to  be 
devoted,  for  time  and  eternity.'* 


A,  D.  M,DCC,XCin.— ^TAT.  Lxvr. 

A  RESPECTABLE  gentleman,  of  South- 
Carolina,  wrote,  about  this  time,  to  the  Prefi- 
dent,  on  the  fubjed:  of  erecting  a  monument 
to  the  memory  of  John  Dixwell,  Efquire, 
one  of  King  Charles'  Judges,  who  lies  bur- 
R  R  ied 


p^  THE    LIFE    OF 

led  In  New-Haven,  This  letter  induced  the 
Prefident  to  beftow  particular  attention  to  a 
favourite  fubjed,  the  hiftory  of  the  three 
ipatriotic  exiles,  Whalley,  Goffe,  and  Dixwell, 
who,  having  been  profcribed  as  the  murder- 
ers of  the  king,  fled  to  America  for  an  afy- 
lum.  So  profound  a  fecrefy  had  been  uni- 
formly obferved  concerning  thefe  unfortunate 
men,  (the  mention  of  whofe  names,  when 
living,  might  have  expofed  them  to  death, 
or  the  difcovery  of  *whofe  graves,  when  dead, 
might  have  rendered  their  afhes  liable  to  vi- 
olation) as  had  Occafioned  the  ftory  of  their 
adventures,  and  of  their  fufFerings,  to  be  al- 
moft  wholly  unknown.  The  fele6l  few,  to 
whom  the  fecret  was  originally  entrufted, 
lianded  it  down  with  fmgular  care,  by  verbal 
tradition  ;  and  from  the  prefent  living  depof- 
itaries  it  remained  to  be  recovered. 

Contemplating  with  admiration  the  char- 
acters of  men,  whom  he  confidered  as  the 
martyrs  of  liberty,  the  Prefident  had,  for 
many  years,  been  afliduoufly  colleding,  in 
different  parts  of  New-England,  all  the  no- 
tices of  them  which  he  could  pofTibly  dif^ 
cover.  His  addrefs  was  too  fkilful,  not  to 
meet  with  fuccefs.     He  drew  out  fuch  in- 


formation 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        323 

formation  on  the  fubje(£l,  as  few  others  could 
have  obtained.  Still,  however,  it  was  in- 
complete. 

The  reafon  for  fecrefy  no  longer  operat- 
ing, fnice  the  Independence  of  America  had 
become  eflablifhed,  and  the  graves  of  the 
enemies  of  tyrants  were  fure  of  prote£lion, 
if  not  of  veneration  ;  the  difficulty  of  obtain^ 
ing  the  hiflory  of  thefe  Judges  became  fenfi- 
bly  diminifhed.  The  talk,  which,  twenty 
years  before,  would  have  been  impractica- 
ble, was  now  undertaken  with  a  profpeit  of 
fuccefs,  and  furnifhed  an  agreeable  occupa- 
tion to  a  mind,  paffionately  delighted  with 
mveftigation,  and  glowing  with  the  love  of 
Liberty. 

Whoever  has  the  curiofity  to  know  all 
that  probably  can  be  known,  refpeding  thefe 
exiles,  together  with  the  Prefident's  fenti- 
ments  on  civil  liberty,  may  be  gratified,  by 
the  perufal  of  his  Hiflory  of  thefe  three 
Judges,  publifhed  in  1 795. 

About  this  time,  he  tranflated  from  the 
Greek,  two  letters  of  Dionyfms  the  Areopa- 
gite,  on  the  miraculous  eclipfe  of  the  fun,  at 
the  Saviour's  crucifixion  ;  and  wrote  a  Dif- 
fertation,  to  prove-  the  authenticity  of  thefe 

letters* 


324  THE    LIFE    OF 

letters.  Thefe  manufcripts,  aud  fome  oth- 
ers, were  found  in  the  Prefident's  cabinet, 
after  his  death,  fealed  up,  and  directed  to 
me  for  correction  and  publication. 

In  the  autumnal  vacation,  he  vifited  his 
children  at  Cambridge- 


■".■?. 

BIRTH-DAT  REFLECTION. 

"  OF  the  unmerited  patience  and  long- 
fufFering  of  God,  another  year  has  been 
added  to  the  days  of  the  years  of  my  pil- 
grimage on  earth.  It  has  been  a  year  of, 
perhaps,  rather  lefs  infirmity,  and  more  tran- 
quillity, than  feveral  years  paft.  I  have  fufr 
tained  the  ^ares  and  burdens  of  office,  as 
well  as  I  could  expert.  At  times,  I  have  had 
fome  improving  and  very  fatisfacftory  views 

of  divine   things. —I  had  an  agreeable 

vifit  to  my  children  at  Cambridge,  and  to 
Bofton  and  Newport  j  and  met  a  kind  recepr 
tion  among  gentlemen  of  literature,  and 
my  numerous  acquaintance. ; — The  Col- 
lege is  in  a  good  and  regular  (late ;  and  I 
have  lived  to  fee  a  new  college  edifice,  built 
fmce  laft  fpring.  I  have  bleflings  in  my 
family,  and  abundant  reafon  for  gratitude  to 

the 


PRESIDENT   STILES.       32^^ 

the  Moft  High,  for  continuing  a  life  fo  fin- 
fill.  I  delire  renewedly  to  devote  myfelf  to 
God,  and  commit  myfelf  to  his  care,  protec- 
tion, and  blefling.  May  I  be  prepared  for 
eternity." 


A,  D.  M,DCC,XCIV.-— iExAT.  LX VIL 

IN  recent  hiftories  of  Hinduftan,  the 
Prelident  found  a  new  account  of  a  colony 
®f  Jews  at  Cochin,  on  the  coaft  of  Mala- 
bar, in  the  Eaft  Indies.  He  had  feen  and 
examined  the  Fac  Simile  of  a  public  edidt, 
of  fome  of  the  Malabar  princes,  or  charter 
of  liberties  and  privileges  granted  to  and 
holden  by  them,  written  in  the  Hebrew  let- 
ter, and  engraven  on  metal  plates,  which 
fhewed  that  the  Hebrew  writing  and  char- 
acter continue  among  them  to  this  day. 
Long  defirous  of  afcertaining  the  facred 
chronology,  fo  diverfely  given  in  the  He- 
brew, Septuagint,  and  Samaritan  copies  of 
the  Old  Teftament,  he  judged  that  the  fub- 
]t€t  might  receive  fome  illuftration  from 
thefe  Jews.  It  appeared  to  him  not  improb- 
able, that  they  have  a  copy  of  the  Pentateuch, 

in 


326  THE    LIFE    OF 

in  Hebrew,  and  that  this  has  been  tranfmit- 
ted  and  preferved  among  them,  as  was  that 
of  the  Samaritans,  from  the  times  of  SaU 
manefer. 

Having  lately  procured  the  Gentoo  Laws» 
and  the  DiiTertations  of  Sir  William  Jones, 
Prefident  of  the  Afiatic  Society,  which  he 
had  read  v/ith  peculiar  delight ;  it  now  oc- 
curred to  him,  that  this  learned  and  inquift- 
tive  Orientaiift  would  readily  undertake  the 
enquiries  which  he  wiflied  might  be  profe- 
cuted.  He,  accordingly,  addreffed  him,  on 
the  fubje6:,  in  a  letter  dated  the  i8th  of 
January. 

He  exprefles  a  great  inclination  to  fee  a 
copy  of  the  patriaixhal  ages  and  chronology ,j 
as  found  in  the  Pentateuch  of  Cochin ;  and, 
with  his  ufual  politenefs  of  addreis,  afks  Sip 
William's  kind  offices,  in  obtaining  for  him 
this  gratification.  Though  Cochin  is  at  feme 
diftance  from  Bengal,  yet,  by  the  affiflance 
of  fome  of  his  learned  connexions,  viiiting 
that  coaft,  the  Prefident  judged  he  would  be 
able  to  effedb  the  defired  obje£t.  Having 
pointed  out  what  particular  parts  of  the 
Pentateuch  he  wiflied  to  be  copied,  he  ex- 
prefled  a  defire  to  have  them  in  the  very 

charader 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        32^ 

charader  in  which  they  are  found  in  the 
manufcripts,  whether  the  prefent  Hebrew 
letter,  or  of  another  oriental  paleography  * 
and  to  know  whether  their  copy  was  obtain- 
ed from  the  modern  Jews,  or  whether  they 
have  been  poflefTed  of  it  in  another  Hne  of 
derivation  from  the  days  of  Nebuchadnezzar. 
He  wifhed,  alfo,  for  a  Hft  of  any  and  all  oth- 
er books  of  the  Old  Teftament,  in  their  pof- 
feffion,  of  this  original  derivation.  He 
judged  it  not  improbable,  that  they  have  the 
books  of  Jofhua,  Job,  the  Pfalms,  and,  per-^ 
haps,  the  writings  of  Solomon.  "  St.  Thom- 
as found  a  Hebrew  damfel  fmging  Hebrew 
Pfalms  at  the  court  of  an  Indian  Prince,  at 
Cranganore,  near  Cochin." 

By  a  moderate  computation,  according 
to  the  Samaritan  Pentateuch,  he  fixes  the 
difperfion  at  Babel,  when  the  origination  of 
all  nations  commenced,  to  be  3,000  years 
before  the  Chriftian  era.  To  this  fubjoin- 
ing  1790,  or  1800,  we  have  4800,  coming 
up  nearly  to  the  Caliyuga.*  The  Samari- 
tan can  furnifh  another  100,  if  neceflary. 
If  the  Cochin  Pentateuch  {hould  verify  this, 

it 

*  See  the  Note  in  page  1 36,  where-  dlle  Jogtie  has  the 
fame  meaning  as  Caliyiiga, 


328  THE    LIFE    OF 

jt  would  be,  in  his  view,  a  valuable  acqui* 
fition. 

The  aO:ive  mind  of  the  Prelident  could 
not  be  limited  to  a  fingle  enquiry.  He  be- 
lieved that  the  very  ancient  and  extenfive 
nations  of  the  Eaft  were  in  pofrefTion  of 
vaft  treafuires  of  literature  j*  and  while,  for 
many  years,  he  had  regretted  that  their  hif- 
tory  and  learning  had  been  fo  long  neglect- 
ed, he  had  availed  himfelf  of  all  poffible 
means  of  information  on  the  fubje6t.  But, 
hitherto,  he  had  ftood  alonci  Having  now 
commenced  an  oriental  difquifition,  with  a 
fair  profpedb  of  fuccefs,  he  dwelt  on  it  with 
a  glow  of  pleafure,  of  which  few  minds 
could  have  been  equally  fufceptible,  Ad- 
dreffing  himfelf  to  one,  who,  to  ufe  his 
own  expreffion,  was  "  like-minded,"  he  fo- 
iicited  of  him  fuch  various  refearches  in  the 
eaft,  as  he  had  long  wifhed  to  fee  profe- 
cuted* 

It  is  pleafmg  to  find  him^  vmder  the  auf. 
pices  of  this  eminent  man,  repeating,  with 
animated  hopes,  the  fame  enquiries,  which 

he 

*  Ibl  l^i.  e.  a  Syria  Gatioem  ufque  et  ultra]  thefauri 
cognltlonis  dltlfllmi  ampllfllmique  ab  oculis  Europxo- 
rum — celati  latent.     Inaug.  Or,it. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        329 

he  had  unfuccefsfully  made,  nearly  thirty 
years  before.  In  fome  manufcript  letters, 
written  by  the  Moravian  brethren,  at  Sa- 
repta,  on  the  river  Volga,  a  little  above  Af- 
tracan,  he  found,  that  the  Calmuc  Tartars, 
in  thofe  regions,  have  priefts  and  writings, 
in  great  abundance ;  that  they  feem.  to  be 
of  a  derivation  from  the  northern  regions  of 
Tibet,  ufe  the  Tangutifh  language,  and 
write  what  they  call  the  Mongulian  charac- 
ter ;  that,  though  they  live  in  a  wandering 
and  barbarous  manner,  they  are  far  from 
being  an  unlettered  people,  but  make  ufe  of 
letters  and  writings  almoft  as  freely  as  the 
Arabians,  Perfees,  and  Armenians.  Fabu- 
lous as  are  their  accounts  of  creation,  and 
of  the  hiftory  of  the  world,  he  judged  that 
they  have  a  mythology,  cofmogony,  and 
chronology,  of  a  derivation  which  cannot  be 
traced  to  the  Scriptures,  nor,  he  fufpe£ted, 
to  the  Brahmans  ;  and  that  fome  lights 
might,  perhaps,  be  obtained  from  proper  en- 
quiries among  that  people,  and  their  writ- 
ings. "  Indeed,'*  adds  he,  "  I  hope  the 
prefent  ardour  for  inveftigation  and  difcov- 
ery  will  not  give  out,  until  we  fhall  have 
accomplifhed  the  examination  of  all  nations, 
S  s  and 


S3<a 


THE    LIFE    OF 


and  an  univerfal  perluftration  of  the  ter- 
raqueous globe  ;  and  until  all  the  literaturCy 
and  hiftory,  and  laws,  of  all  nations,  fhall 
have  been  collected,  and  delivered  over  in- 
to the  treafury  of  the  Republic  of  Letters, 
for  the  common  participation  and  benefit  of 
^1  mankind." 

"  In  this  view,"  he  continues,  "  I  am  ex- 
tremely pleafed,  and  even  ravlfhed  with  the 
new  literary  inilitution  of  the  Society  at 
Calcutta.  With  great  delight  have  I  read 
and  feafted  upon  fome  fritits  of  their  learned 
labours,  in  your  two  volumes  of  DiiTerta- 
tions  ;  and  anticipate,  with  the  moft  pleaf- 
ing  and  aflured  confidence,  the  augmenta- 
tion of  the  Sciences,  and  the  enlargement  of 
the  knowledge  of  Man,  by  their  literary 
tefearches,  and  liberal  communications." 

A  memoir  of  M.  Vanfittart,  with  a  note 
of  Sir  William  Jones,*  rendering  it  proba- 
ble, that  the  Afghans,  about  Kandahar,  are 
the  defcendants  of  the  Ten  Tribes,  rekindled 
an  ardent  defire,  which  the  Prefident  had 
had  many  years,  that  a  more  thorough  and 
effectual  fearch  fhould  be  made  after  thofe 
ioft  tribes  ;  as,  from  the  prophecies, "  he  had 

no 

*  See  page  159. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        ^^^^ 

ao  doubt  of  their  future  re-gathering,  and  of 
the  re-afTembhng  of  the  whole  Twelve  Tribes 
into  the  Holy  Land.  "  Every  p^rt  of  the 
terraqueous  globe,"  he  obferves,  "  has  been 
{o  thoroughly  travelled,  and  examined,  that 
we  know  they  are  not  to  be  found  in  Eu- 
rope, Africa,  America,  nor  in  any  part  of 
Alia,  unlefs  upon  the  territory  between  the 
Cafpian  Sea,  and  the  empire  of  China,  and 
jiorth  of  India  and  Perlia  ;  unlefs,  perhaps, 
on  the  extenfive  territory  between  Perfepo- 
iis  and  the  Indus.  I  have  long  wiflied  to 
have  this  territory,  efpecially  from  the  Caf. 
pian  eaftward,  and  north  of  India  and  Ti- 
bet, travelled  by  ibme  perfons  of  Hebrew 
literature,  and  of  fagacious  difcernment  of 
national  chara(^er,  who  may  difcover  fuch 
national  diftinguifhing  traits,  as  you.  Sir, 
have  in  the  Afghans,  who,  from  your  ac- 
count, I  doubt  not,  are  of  Hebrew  original, 
and  of  the  Ten  Tribes^  Your  fituation,  in 
the  oriental  countries,  gives  you  an  advan- 
tage for  the  profecution  of  this  refearch : 
and  I  hope  for  more  fruits  of  your  ^nqui-^ 
lies  on  this  fubje6t." 

The  Zodiac,  and  much  of  aftronomy,  he 
believed  to  be  antediluvian  j    and  judged 

that 


332  THE    LIFE    OF 

that  refearches  in  the  Eaft  might  ferve  to 
throw  light  on  this  fcience.  *'  India,  as  well 
as  Chaldea  and  Egypt,  had  the  celeftiat 
fphere  decorated  with  the  conftellations, 
from  early  antiquity.  Atlas  was  not  the 
firft  that  carried  the  heavens  upon  his  fhoul*- 
ders.  The  ftars,  from  the  beginning,  were 
fixed  on  the  globe  from  adtual-  obfervations 
cf  their  appulfes  to  the  graduated  meridian, 
their  right  afcenfions,  and  their  latitudes, 
or  declinations.  Within  five  hundred  years 
from  the  flood,  the  preceflion  of  the  equi- 
noxes, or  foiftices,  muft  have  been  ftrongly 
noticed  by  obierving  natior^s.  Had.  we  the 
1900  years'  obfer^'-ations  of  the  Chaldeans, 
which  Alexander  found  at  Babylon,  and 
which  Callifthenes  fent  to  i\riftotle,  I  doubt 
not  we  fhould  find  notices  of  the  equinoxes 
and  folftices  among  the  fixed  ftars,  at  a  much 
earlier  period  than  Hipparchus.  The  de-;- 
llru^llon  of  the  Alexandrian  Library  hai 
loft  all  the  Egyptian  obfervations  of  the  fol- 
ftices, made  by  the  obelifks,  wherein  the 
fame  thing  would  be  found.  The  ancient 
European  nations  knew  little  or  nothing  cf 
Aftronomy.  We  are  left,  therefore,  to 
look  only  to  India,  and  China,  and  perhaps 

Siam, 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        333 

Siam,  for  the  prefervation  of  any  ancient 
obferv'ations,  in  point  to  this  purpofe." 

Having  given,  in  the  form  of  fuppofitions, 
his  own  idea  of  the  origin  and  progrefs  of 
Religion,  Language,  Writing,  Agriculture, 
the  nniechanic  Arts,  and  the  liberal  Sciences, 
and  the  reafons  of-  his  h^^othefes,  in  a  dif- 
cuffion  vv^hich  difcovers  his  profound  knowl- 
edge of  hiftory  and  antiquity,  he  remarks  : 
"  Upon  the  ftatement  of  thefe  fuppofitions, 
it  may  be  thought  worthy  of  the  enquiry  and 
refearches  of  the  Literati,  whether  all  the 
original  notitia  of  thefe  things  are  irrecover^ 
ably  loft.  The  Weft  has  been  thoroughly 
fearched  ;  you  will  look  foi;  them  in  the 
Eaft." 

Speaking  of  the  primeval  knowledge, 
which  he  conceived  to  have  been  tranfmitted 
down  to  pofterity  from  the  patriarchal  age, 
he  fays,  "  It  has  been,  for  the  fubftance  of  it, 
preferved  to  thefe  ages.  There  have  been 
refurreclions,  flouriftiings,  and  evaniftiings, 
or  declenfions,  of  this  Literature,  in  different 
places  and  ages.  Sometimes  a  Ptolemy  has 
revived  it  ;  fometimes  an  Ulugh  Beg. 
Sometimes  Science  has  fiouriftied  at  Heliop- 
plis  and  Alexandria  ;  fometimes  at  Chaldea 

and 


334  THE    LIFE    OF 

and  Athens  ;  fometimes  at  Samarcand  and 
Benares.  But  the  original  erudition  has, 
for  ages,  been  mixed  with  fo  many  human 
hypothefes,  and  fiditious  improvements,  that 
it  now  requires  the  rigidity  of  ^  chymical 
procefs,  to  analyze  and  recover  the  cariginal 
principles  of  firft  derived  knowledge.  But 
the  analyfis  is  worthy  the  labour  ;  and  gold 
is  to  be  found,  in  the  end,  to  reward  our 
toil." 

Towards  the  conclufion  of  the  letter,  an 
adequate  view  of  which  cannot  here  be  giv- 
en, the  following  pai'agraph  is,  at  once,  illuf- 
trative  of  its  defign,  and  qf  the  literaiy 
character  of  its  author. 

"  Long  have  I  experienced,  that  I  could 
not  find  any  man  who  would  go  with  me 
the  lengths,  in  thefe  enquiries,  which  I 
wifhed.  Long  have  I  found,  that  I  could 
not  proceed  in  them  alone  ;  more  efpecially, 
for  want  of  materials  to  digeft.  And,  there- 
fore, with  ineffable  pleafure  and  delight,  have 
I  at  laft  found,  that  your  Society  has  taken 
the  matter  up  in  earneft,  with  an  immediate 
fuccefs,  and  with  a  happier  profpedt,  than  has 
ever  hitherto  opened  upon  the  learned  world. 

But 


TRESIDENT  STILES.         35^ 

But  much  yet  remains.*  The  Tartarian, 
Scythian,  and  Badtrian  hive  is  yet  more 
thoroughly  to  be  fearched  and  explored. 
Perfia,  India,  Tibet,  Siam,  China,  are  not 
half  ftudied  yet  :  an  abundant  harveft  re- 
mains ; 

*  The  learned  Dr,  Watfon,  Bifb^p  of  Landaff,  whofc 
iifcful  and  elegant  publications  are  highly  cilimated  on 
both  fides  of  the  Atlantic,  entertained  fimilar  fsntiments  : 
*i  We  jQi  know  nothing,  or  next  to  nothing,  of  the  treaf- 
nres  of  eaftern  learning  ;  bat,  from  what  we  do  know, 
there  is  no   reafon  why  we  Ihould  be  deterred  from  en- 

deavouriag  to  know  more. ^We  owe  Algebra  entirely 

to  the  Indians,  or  Arabians.  Chymiftry,  Medicine,  Nat- 
ural Hillory,  Geography,  and  many  of  the  moft  abftract 
Sciences,  are  indebted  to  the  Arabians,  if  not  for  their 
birth,  at  leaft  for  their  fupport  and  protection,  when  they 
were  abandoned  by  all  the  States  of  Europe.  It  is  faid, 
that  the  Arabians  tranflated  into  their  own  language,  the 
moft  celebrated  works  of  all  other  nations.  If  this  be  a 
fact,  and  the  learned  admit  it  as  fuch,  have  we  not  preat 
reafoa  to  believe,  that  many  monuments  of  Roman,  Gre- 
cian, Egyptian,  and  Chaldean  literature,  may  be  preferr- 
ed in  the  Arabic  tranflations»  thougli  the  originals  are 
irrecoverably  loft  ?  No  language,  not  even  the  Grecian, 
after  the  conqticfts  of  Alexander,  had  ever  fo  extenfive  a 

fpread  as  the  Arabic,  after  the  vidories  of  Mahomet 

But  I  forbear  to  enlarge  on  a  fubjecl  vvrell  known  to  you 
all  ;  nor  will  I  remind  you  of  the  utility  of  the  Oriental 
learning  in  the  interpretation  of  Scripture  ;  it  being  ac- 
knowledged, that  the  befl  commentators,  either  of  ancienf 
or  modern  times,  from  St.  Jerome  to  the  prefent  Biihop 
of  London,  are  thofe  who  have  been  the  nioft  converfant 
with  Hebrew>  and  the  other  fifter  tongues." 


336  THE    LIFE    OF 

mains  ;  and  the  very  GleaJiifigs  of  the  grapes 
of  Ejphraim  may  hejbetter  than  the  vintage  of 
Abie^er.  Although  Du  Halde  and  the  Jef- 
uits  have  given  us  much  valuable  informa- 
tion of  China^  and  Koemfer  of  Japan,  yet 
much  remains  to  be  difcovered,  both  of  their 
policies  and  learning.  I  have  great  hopes 
from  the  Aftrondmers,  who,  laft  year,  ac- 
companied the  AmbafTador  from  the  King 
of  England  to  the  Emperor  of  China  ;  ef- 
pecially  as  I  underftand  he  is  gone  forth  on 
a  literary,  as  well  as  commercial  and  politi- 
cal, embafly.  I  hope  foon  to  fee  the  fur- 
ther publications  of  the  Calcutta  Society.  I 
long  ardently  for  a  further  acquaintance 
with  the  writings  of  Vyafa,  the  Plato 
of  India,  and  of  Buddha,  and  of  the 
Siamefe.'' 

This  literary  epiftle,  confifting  of  more 
than  70  pages  in  quarto,  was  fent  to  Calcut- 
ta, foon  after  it  was  written,  directed  to  the 
care  of  the  Honourable  Suetonius  Heatly, 
Efquire^  chief  judge  of  appeals  at  Decca, 
Bengal,  a  gentleman  with  whom,  in  early 
life,  the  Prefident  was  acquainted.  But, 
before    it    reached  India,    Mr.  Heatly,  and 

the 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       337 

the    great    Sir  William    Jones,    were    no 
more.  * 

The  letter,  however,  was  not  negleded. 
Anthony  Lambert,  Efquire,  the  adminiftrator 
of  Mr.  Heatly's  eftate,  and  a  member  of  the 
Afiatic  Society,  took  particular  care  to  for- 
ward it  to  the  Prefident  of  the  Society,  who 
caufed  it  to  be  read  at  the  firft  meeting  after 
Its  receipt.  Mr.  Lambert  wrote  a  very  po- 
lite letter  to  Prefident  Stiles,  which  reached 

New- 

*  Sir  William  Jones  died  April  27,  f  794»  at  the  pre- 
mature age  of  48.  "  Endowed  by  nature  with  a  mind  of 
extraordinary  vigour,  he,  by  unwearied  induftry,  aided  hj 
fuperior  genius,  fuccefsfally  explored  the  hidden  fources 
of  Oriental  fcience  and  literature  ;  and  his  attainments  in 
this  interefting  branch  of  learning  were  fuch  as  to  place 
him  far  beyond  all  competition,  the  moft  eminent  Orien- 
tal fcholar  in  this,  or  perhaps  any  other  age. 'Un- 
like many  other  literary  charadters  of  the  age.  Sir  Wil- 
liam was  a  hncere  and  pious  Chriftian  ;  inftead  of  labour- 
ing, by  his  writings,  to  propagate  the  dodrines  of  infi- 
delity, as  has  been  a  favourite  pradice  with  fome  modem 
philofophers  of  reputation,  he  was  defirous  to  lend  the 
fcriptures  his  utmofl  ftipport  ;  and,  in  one  of  his  lateft 
annual  difcourfes  to  the  Afiatic  Society,  he  has 
done  more  to  give  validity  to  the  Mofaic  hiftory  of 
the  creation  than  the  refearches  of  any  contemporary 
writer." 

Tx 


533  THE    LIFE    OF 

New-Havea  a   few  months   after  his  de- 
ceafe.* 

Profeflbr  Wales,  having,  for  two  years 
paft,  been  afBided  with  an  epilepfy,  to  fuch 
a  degree  as  to  incapacitate  him  for  the  duties 
of  his  office,  clofed  the  fcene  of  his  fufFer- 
ings,  and  of  his  Ufe,  on  the  1 8th  of  February. 
This  event  was  tenderly  afFeding  to  the 
Prefident,  who  had  feen  the  meridian  glory 
of  this  eminent  man  ;  and  v^^ho  had  equally 
admired  his  talents,  and  prized  his  friend- 
ihijp. 

He 
£*  Extract.]! 

C^alcuttat  Dec.  4,  179^. 

As  Admmiftrator  to  the  eftate  of  my  much  lamented 
friend,  the  late  Mr.  Heatly,  I  had  the  honour  to  receive 
and  forward  to  the  Prefident  of  the  Afiatic  Society, 
your  learned  Addrefs  to  the  late  Sir  William  Jones,  re- 
fpeding  the  Jews  of  India,  and  the  probability  of  their 
polTeffing  an  original  Hebrew  copy  of  the  Pentateuch. 
Your  letter  was  read  at  the  firft  meeting  of  the  Society, 
after  its  receipt,  and  will  be  anfwered  b-y  Sir  John  Shore, 
(who  is  at  prefent  the  Prefident)  as  foon  as  he  receives 
replies  to  the  enquiries  he  has  direded  to  be  made  at 
Cochin  and  Cranganore,  refpedling  the  points  which  your 
laudable  zeal  wifhes  to  have  afcertained. — As  it  may  be 
fome  time  before  you  can  receive  the  defired  information, 
I  thought  it  might  be  fatisfaftory  to  you,  to  know,  that 
your  addrefs  had  been  depofited  amongfl;  the  Refearches 
of  the  Society ;  and  that  every  attention  had  been  paid 
thereto.''-—— 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        339 

He  was  an  excellent  preacher  ;  and,  by 
his  diftinguiflied  abilities,  in  union  with  ex- 
emplary piety,  he  added  luftre  and  dignity 
to  the  theological  chair.  His  difcourfes 
were  the  refult  of  clofe  thought,  and  labo- 
rious ftudy.  Methodical,  without  ftifFnefs  ; 
clothed  in  language  chafte  and  nervous ; 
and  pronounced  with  a  imgular  folemnity 
and  energy ;  they  were  admirably  adapted 
to  the  purpofes  of  inftrudion  and  perfua- 
fion.-^-Thofe  ftudents  w^ho  fat  at  the  feet  of 
the  ProfefTor,  w^ith  the  prefent  writer,  will, 
with  him,  drop  a  tear  to  the  memory  of  this 
venerable  teacher,  to  whom  they  are  indebt- 
ed for  iriftrud;ions,  than  which,  whether  ad- 
dreffed  to  them  as  ftudents  in  theology,  or 
as  immortal  beings,  none  could  be  more 
worthy  of  a  perpetual  remembrance. 

At  the  Pro fe (Tor's  funeral,  the  Reverend 
Dr.  Dana  preached  a  Sermon,  and  the  Prefi- 
dent  pronounced  a  Latin  oration. 

One  of  the  ftudents*  having  fuddenly  fallen 
a  victim  to  a  malignant  diforder,  which  had 
now  become  epidemical,  and  mortal,  among 

the 

*  A  youth  of  promiiing  hopes,  the  only  child  of  my 
much  refpe(fled  friend,  the  Reverend  Mr.  Backus,  of 
Somers.  Frlendfliip  weeps  at  the  recollection  of  the  ex- 
quifite  parental  forrows,  excited  by  this  premature  death* 


340  THE    LIFE    OF 

the  inhabitants  of  New-Haven,  and  excited 
a  general  alarm  ;  the  Prefident,  April  2d, 
difmifled  the  ftudents,  informing  them,  that 
fuch  as  Ihould  remain  might  receive  the  ufual 
inftru£tions  ;  and  difcontinued  the  regular 
exercifes  of  college  till  the  end  of  the  ap- 
proaching vacation. 

This  event  gave  an  opportunity  for  a  new 
proof  of  the  affectionate  attachment  of  his 
diftant  friends.  Alarmed  at  the  impending 
danger,  they  wrote  to  him,  foliciting  his 
immediate  attention  to  himfelf  and  his  fami- 
ly;  and  cordially  prefenting  them  an  afylum. 
Newport,  embofoming  a  flock,  which  could 
never  forget  a  beloved  pallor,  and  Saybrook, 
the  refidence  of  a  refpeO:able  and  much 
efteemed  kinfman,*  were  foremoft  in  this 
benevolent  office.  "  How  wonderful  the 
provifion  and  care  of  Providence  for  me  and 
my  family,"  writes  the  Prefident,  "in  ex- 
citing this  kind  attention  of  my  former 
friends  !" 

His  family,  however,  remained  in  town, 
till  the  prevalence  of  another  epidemic  difor- 

der  J 

*  The  Reverend  Mr.  Devotion,  who  held  a  regular 
and  afFedionate  correfpondence  with  Dr.  Stiles,  for  many 

■years. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        341 

der  ;  which,  in  Auguft,  fucceeded  the  for- 
mer, and,  Hke  that,  made  great  devaftation 
among  the  inhabitants.  The  ftudents  were 
again  difmilied  ;  and  the  Prefident's  family 
found  a  ready  reception  among  their  friends. 
The  difeafe  was  fo  far  abated  in  September, 
that  the  commencement  was  publicly  cel- 
ebrated. 

Among  the  falutary  effects  of  the  revolu- 
tion at  Yale  College,  was  an  enlargement  of 
the  fund  for  the  ProfefTorlhip  of  Mathe- 
matics and  Natural  Philofophy.  To  the 
great  relief  and  fatisfa£lion  of  the  Prefident, 
this  important  office,  the  principal  labours  of 
which  had  long  devolved  on  him,  now  be- 
came filled.  Jofiah  Meigs,  Efquire,  who 
had  given  ample  proof  of  his  talents  in  this 
department  of  fcience,  while  in  the  tutorfliip, 
and  by  a  feries  of  philofophical  lectures,  de- 
livered afterward  in  the  College  chapel,  was 
elected  to  the  ProfefTorial  chair.  On  the  4th 
of  December,  the  Prefident,  in  a  Latin  ora- 
tion, indu6led  him  into  office  ;  and  delivered 
him  the  keys  of  the  philofophy  chamber, 
and  of  the  apparatus, 

BIRTH- 


342  THE    LIFE    OF 

BIRTH-DAY    REFLECTION. 

"YESTERDAY  I  entered  on  the  68th 
year  of  my  earthly  pilgrimage,  with,  I  hope, 
ferious,  as  certainly  with  affecting  thought- 
fulnels  ;  though  avocations  prevented  this 
anniverfary  memoir  till  to  day.  Every  year 
is  filled  with  abundant  experience  of  the 
protecting  goodnefs  of  the  Almighty.  The 
iait  year,  He  hath  been  pleafed  to  favour 
me  with  rather  more  health  than  in  feveral 
of  the  ktter  preceding  years.  I  have  been, 
preferved,  and  all  my  family,  through  the 
dangerous  contagious  licknefs  of  the  yellow 
fever,  which  raged  in  this  city,  efpecially  in 
Auguft,  September,  and  October,  and  pro- 
duced 6  7,  deaths  out  of  i6o  patients.  In 
the  Spring,  the  fcarlet  fever  raged,  and  was 
very  mortal.  The  mortality  here,  the  year 
paft,  has  exceeded  any  thing  in  memory. 
Above  the  twentieth  part  of  the  citizens  have 
died  this  year.  And  yet  God  hath  preferved 
me  and  my  family.  My  daughter  Mary  is 
flill  living,  though  in  a  lingering  debilitated 
life ;  yet,  I  have  reafon  to  hope,  with  a 
fan£tified  improvement  of  her  long  pro- 
tracted infirmities.      My  Betfey  has  made 

public 


PRESIDENT   STILES.        343 

public  profefTion  of  religion,  and  joined  the 
church.  My  fon  Ifaac  has  been  abfent  at 
fea  above  a  twelve-month,  and  is  now  in 
Europe.— —I  have,  at  times,  had  clear 
views  of  divine  things,  and  more  comfort  in 
religion,  in  feme  refpedls,  this  year  than 
ever  in  life.  I  commend  myfelf,  my 
family,  the  College,  &c.  to  God's  protedion 
and  bleiling.  Oh  may  I  be  fandlilied  for 
eternity  I** 


A,  D.  M,DCC,XCV.— -iExAT.  LXVIII. 

THE  learned  Mr.  Ebeling,  Profeflbr  of 
Hiftory,  and  of  the  Greek  language,  in  the 
Great  College  in  Hamburgh,  prefented  him 
with  his  Geography  and  Hiflory  of  Amer- 
ica, accompanied  \vith  a  letter  foliciting  in- 
formation concerning  the  State  of  Connec- 
ticut.* The  Prefident  replied  to  it,  in 
March,  giving  him  as  much  of  the  hif- 
tory of  that  State,  "  as  his  avocations,  and 
inceflant  labours  of  office,  would  admit." 
Some  judgment  of  his  diligence,  and  of  the 

facility 

*  No  authentic  hiftory  of  Conne<SIcut  was  then  pub- 
lifhed.  An  indefatigable  and  faithful  hiftorian,  the  Rev- 
erend Dr.  TiumbuU,  has  very  recently  fupplied  the  chafin> 


j44  "^HE    LII^'E    OF 

facility  with  which  he  wrote  on  literary  fut-^f 
je(fts,  may  be  formed  from  this  compolitiorij 
which  confided  of  eighty-fix  quarto  pages/ 
and  was  written  in  fuch  fragments  of  time^ 
as  he  redeemed,  in  four  weeks,  under  the 
prefllire  of  his  multiplied  profeffional  duties. 
ProfefTor  Ebeling,  in  his  letters  t  o  one  of 
his  American  correfponderits,  (Re\'^rend  Mn 
Bentley)  fpeaks  of  "  the  greateft  obligations 
to  Dr.  Stiles,  his  late  worthy  and  uncom- 
monly obliging  correfpondent." 

On  the  I  ft  of  May,  he  commenced  the 
femi-annual  examination  of  the  Students, 
and,  on  the  5th,  announced  the  adjudica- 
tion. On  the  6th,  he  examined  the  candi- 
dates for  Dean  Berkeley's  premium.*  The 
ProfefTor  and  Tutors  dined  at  his  houfe,  ort 
this  occafion,  and  remarked  no  diminution 
of  his  accuftomed  vivacity  and  energy.  The 
vacation,  which  began  the  fame  day,  gave 
him  leifure  for  reading  and  ftudy  ;  and  in 
his  Literary  Diary  feveral  pages  are  written, 
after  this  date,  containing  verbal  information 
T  from  a  traveller,  who  had  vifited  Egypt, 
Joppa,  the  Holy  Land,  and  other  parts  of 
the  Eaft  ;  an  account  of  the  exports  of  the 

United 

'■^  See  Hiftory  of  Yale  College,  In  the  Appendix. 

*  ^  * 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       345 

United  States,  for  the  year  1794  ;  and  ex- 
trads  from  Millar  on  the  EngUlh  gov- 
ernment. 

But  all  earthly  purfuits  have  their  limits  ; 
and  we  have  now  reached  the  boundary  af- 
figned  to  the  literary  career  of  this  eminent 
man.  Refearches  into  the  nature  and  extent 
of  civil  liberty  are  now  to  be  exchanged, 
for  the  contemplation  and  enjoyment  of  the 
glorious  liberty  of  the  fotis  of  God,  Human 
languages  w^ill  no  longer  be  acquired  by  la- 
borious ftudy  ;  for  they  fhall  give  place  to 
the  tongues  of  angels,  Philofophy  and  Af- 
tronomy  will  no  longer  require  a  Newton's 
illuftrations  ;  for  their  profound  recefles  fhall 
be  intuitively  explored.  Theology  will  no 
longer  be  covered  with  a  veil,  impenetrable 
to  finite  vifion*;  for  GoD,  the  great  objedt 
of  this  divine  fcience,  (hall  be  feeji  and  con-^ 
templated  eveti  as  He  isi  The  darkncfs  of 
human  knowledge  will  be  difpelled  by  the 
fplendour  of  heavenly  light.  Imperfe^lion 
itfelf  mud  ceafe,  when  the  faint  fhall  be  en- 
rolled among  the  fpirits  of  jujl  men  made 
perfedi. 

On  Friday,  the   8th  of  May,  the  Prefi- 

dent,  having,  at  eleven  o'clock,  walked  out 

U  u  igr  2.9. 


j46  THE    LIFE    OF 

as  ufual,  on  his  return  complained  of  a 
lethargic  tendency,  and  of  univerfal  indif- 
pofition.  Not  feeming,  however,  to  appre- 
hend a  fettled  illnefs,  he  declined  a  propofal 
of  the  family  to  fend  for  a  phyfician.  But, 
the  fymptoms  afTuming  a  more  threatning 
afpe£t,  a  phyfician  was  fent  for,  in  the  after- 
noon ;  and,  from  this  time,  the  moft  aflid- 
uous  attentions  were  paid  to  his  diforder.  It 
was  a  bilious  fever,  of  fo  putrid  a  tendency, 
as  to  baffle  every  medical  attempt  to  check 
Its  progrefs.  He  foon  became  fenfible  that 
it  muft  terminate  his  life  ;  and  religioufly 
compofed  himfelf  for  the  folemn  event- 
In  the  fir  ft  ftage  of  his  illnefs,  he  exprefled 
an  awful  apprehenfion  of  the  divine  trif 
bunal.  **  I  do  not  doubt,"  faid  he,  "  the 
fufficiency  of  the  Redeemer,  or  the  mercy  of 
God  ;  but  the  want  of  purity  makes  me 
afraid  to  appear  before  a  God  of  infinite 
purity."  This  fearful  apprehenfion,  how- 
ever, was  of  fliort  duration  ;  nor  did  he  ex- 
perience that  diftrefs,  which  he  had  been 
accuftomed  to  anticipate  in  the  profpeft  of 
his  diflblution.  He  continued  to  exprefs 
ardent  defires  of  purity,  as  a  qualification  for 
admittance  into  the  prefence  of  a  holy  God, 

and 


PRESIDENT   STILES.       347 

and  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  heavenly  fe- 
licity ;  but  his  hopes  of  heaven  brightened, 
as  he  approached  the  valley  of  the  (hadow 
of  death.  He  told  his  family,  that  his  mind 
was  tranquil,  and  that  his  hopes  prevailed. 
His  extreme  debility,  though  it  did  not  ap- 
parently enervate  his  mind,  incapacitated 
him  for  much  converfation.  On  Tuefday, 
the  1 2th,  at  eleven,  A.  M.  his  attentive  and 
affectionate  friend,  the  Reverend  Dr,  Da- 
na, prayed  with  him.  At  four,  in  the  af- 
ternoon, he  took  an  affecting  leave  of  each 
of  his  family  that  was  prefent,  and  gave  mef- 
fages  of  dying  counfel  for  his  abfent  chil- 
dren ;  inculcating  it  on  all,  to  love  God, 
and  Jefus  Chrift,  and  to  read  their  Bibles. 
Two  ftudents  of  the  Univerfity  being  pref- 
ent, he  called  them  to  his  bed,  expreffed  his 
wifh,  that  they  might  be  good  and  happy, 
and  told  them,  that  they  had  laid  the  foun- 
dation of  a  good  education,  and  he  hoped 
they  would  improve  their  advantages.  "  But, 
above  all,"  faid  he,  "  feek  religion  ;  read 
the  Bible  ;  and  follow  the  example  of  Chrifl. 
What  I  now  fay  to  you,  I  fay  to  all  College. 
Tell  the  fcholars,  what  I  tell  you,  that  I  wilh 
them  happy,  and  hope  they  will  have  a  bet- 
ter 


348  THE    LIFE    OF 

ter  Prefident  than  I  have  been." — ^Thus  did 
he  "  devote  his  lateft  breath  to  the  fcrvice  of 
the  Inftitution,  v^hofe  interefls  had  engrofled 
the  laborious  attention  of  many  of  the  beft 
and  moft  important  years  of  his  ufeful  Hfe."* 
The  filver  cord  was  now  loofed,  and  gave 
to  the  foul  that  freedom,  to  which  it  had 
long  and  ardently  afpired.  With  a  fublime 
calmnefs  in  death,  becoming  the  exalted  pi- 
ety of  his  life,  he  clofed  his  eyes,  and  ex- 
pired at  half  an  hour  after  eight  in  the 
evening. 

The  inhabitants  of  New-Haven  paid  hini 
the  moft  refpe£tful  and  affectionate  atten* 
tions,  during  his  illnefs.  They  were 
conftantly  refqrting  to  the  houfe,  to  make 
enquiries  concerning  his  fituation  j  to  tender 
their  kind  offices  ;  or  to  obtain  a  view  of 
the  departing  faint.  Who,  indeed,  would 
not  wi£h  the  privilege,  to  "  fee  in  what  peace 
a  Chriftian  can  die  ?"  j* 

His 

*  Profeflbr  Meigs'  Funeral  Oration. 

•f  Among  the  numerous  exprtilions  of  grief,  which  this 
event  excited,  there  was  one  as  affeding  as  it  was  fingular. 
An  elderly  and  ferious  woman,  of  the  Prefident's  native 
place,  (and  of  his  particular  acquaintance,  though  un^ 
known  to  the  family)  hearing  of  his  death,  rode  imme- 

diatcly 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        349 

His  funeral  was  attended,  in  the  academic 
form,  on  the  following  Thurfday,  when  the 
Reverend  Dr.  Dana  preached  an  excellent 
Sermon,*  adapted  to  the  mournful  and  very 
afFedling  occafion. 

President  Stiles  was  a  man  of  low 
and  fmall  ftature  ;  of  a  very  delicate  ftruc« 
tare  ;  and  of  a  well  proportioned  form.  His 
eyes  were  of  a  dark  grey  colour  ;  and,  in  the 
moment  of  contemplation,  fmgularly  pene- 
trating. His  voice  was  clear  and  energetic. 
His  countenance,  efpecially  in  converfation, 
was  expreflive  of  mildnefs  and  benignity ; 
but,  if  occafion  required,  it  became  the  in- 
dex of  majefty  and  authority. 

The  delicacy  of  his  fram©  requiring  a 
fpecial  care  of  his  health,  he  was  prudently 
attentive,  amidft  his  multiplied  fludies  and 
labours,  to  its  prefervation.  Always  temper- 
ate, he  found  it  eafy,  when  neceffary,  to  be 
abflemious.      Having  carefully  ftudied  his 

own 

diately  into  New-Haven,  rufhcd  precipitately  into  the 
room  where  the  body  was  laid,  and  poured  a  flood  of 
tears  over  the  beloved  relics,  with  pathetic  lamentations 
for  the  lofs  of  fo  excellent  and  pious  a  friend. 

*  Text,  John  xiv.  2.     In  my  Father'' 5  louy  ars  J7ia7ty 
jnanjtcr.s.     This  Sermon  was  printed. 


350  THE    LIFE    OF 

own  conftitution,  he  was  generally  his  own 
phyfician.  By  regulating  his  diet,  exercif- 
ing  daily  in  the  open  air,  and  ufing  occarion- 
ally  a  few  fimple  medicines,  he  was,  by  the 
divine  blefling,  enabled,  with  but  very  fmall 
interruptions,  to  apply  himfelf  affiduoufly  to 
ftudy,  and  to  difcharge  the  various  duties  of 
public  and  of  domeilic  life.  To  his  prudent 
care,  under  Providence,  we  are  mi^ch  indebt- 
ed  for    the  prolongation   of    his    fuccefsful 

ftudies,  and  of  his  ufeful  life.* During 

a  great 

*  He  repeatedly  cautioned  mz  againfl:  late  nodturnal 
ftudies,  which,  in  early  life,  proved  prejudicial  to  himfelf, 
and  which  he  afterward  avoided.  Antelucane  ftudies 
(for  fo  he  termed  thofe  which  commenced  before  light  in 
the  morning)  he  judged  ftill  more  prejudicial  than  thofe. 

Converfmg,  once,  on  the  fubjedt  of  literary  induftry, 

I  mentioned  the  fmgular  diligence  of  Dr.  Doddridge,  and 
his  ftriking  remark  on  the  redemption  of  time  :  "  He 
might  probably,"   replied  he,    "  have  lived  many  years 

longer,  had  he  been  more  temperate  in  his  ftudies." 

By  attention  and  care,  many  men,  of  great  genius,  but  of 
feeble  conftitutions,  have  attained  to  longevity,  and  made 
furprifmg  acquifttions  in  knowledge.  The  great  Eras- 
mus, among  others,  furnifhes  a  wonderful  and  an  exem- 
plary inftance  : — "  Infirmum  illud  et  valetudinarium 
corpufcalum  fmgulari  quadam  et  exquifita  curatione  indi- 

gebat. Accedebat  fenedus  Ipfx  per  fe  morbus  habitus. 

Accedebant  infuper  quotidianae  vigilise  et  no<fturnae  lucu- 
brationes.  Caeterum  Erafmus,  qui  omnes  notiones  naturae 
fuse  exploratas  meditatafque  haberet,  certa  quadam  et  ar- 
tificicfa  viftus  ratione  tnederifibi  didicerat." 


4 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        3^1 

a  great  part  of  his  life,  he  was  fiibjedb  to 
wakeful  nights*  At  thefe  fleeplefs  feafons^ 
he  rofe  from  his  bed,  and  repaired  to  his 
ftudy,  where  he  either  perufed  fome  favour- 
ite book,  or,  more  commonly,  walked  an  hout 
or  two,  abforbed  in  contemplation.  In  fome 
fuch  inftances  he  went  abroad,  to  furvey  th^ 
heavens,  and  "  kindled  his  devotion   at  the 

ftars." *~He  accuftomed  himfelf  to  the 

exercife  of  walking  in  the  open  air  ;  and 
often  walked  within  doors,  in  a  very  contem- 
plative manner,  efpecially  on  Saturday  even- 
ings, and  on  the  Lord's  day* 

His  paflions  were  naturally  flrong  and 
impetuous  ;  but  he  attained  an  habitual  gov- 
ernment of  theni,  by  prayerful  and  pious  in- 
fluence. Proofs  of  this  are  derived  from  his 
particular  conduct,  when  put  to  the  teft  of 
temptation,  &s  well  as  from  the  general  equa- 
bility of  his  deportment.  On  the  reception 
of  injuries,  he  was  patient  and  placable  ; 
and  took  peculiar  pains  to  effect  a  reconcili- 
ation with  thofe,  who,  having  done  him  an 
injury,  were  difpofed  to  alienation.  When 
affaulted  with  virulence,  as  he  was,  in  fome 
inftances  from  the  prefs,  he  made  it  an  in- 
flexible rule,  to  offer  no  public  reply  ;  and 

his 


iS^         THE    LIFE    OF 

his  private  behaviour,  in  fuch  inflancci, 
evinced  a  fuperiority  to  infult,  and  the  divine 
temper  of  Chriftian  forgivenefs.  Sometimes 
he  briefly  recorded  the  injury  in  his  Diary j 
and,  without  one  acrimonious  reflections 
made  it  fubfervient  to  new  improvement  in 
knowledge  and  virtue  ;  obferving,  with  one 
of  the  ancients  : 

Fas  ejl  et  ah  hofle  doceri  ; 

*'  It  is  lawful  to  be  taught,  even  by  an 
enemy." 

With  a  rare  felicity,  he  united,  in  his  ad- 
drefs  and  manners,  familiarity  with  dignity. 
While  an  ornament  to  the  higheft,  he  wa* 
acceflfible  to  the  lowefl:,  clafl'es  of  mankind. 
Communicative,  hofpitable,  and  polite  to 
llrangers,  entertaining  and  inftrudive  to  all, 
none  left  his  company  without  delightful  im- 
preffions.  "  His  fociety  was  highly  agreeable^ 
and  when  he  took  leave  of  company,  all  per- 
ceived a  void,  which  their  fociability  could  not 

fill  up."* --Whatever  was  his  opinion 

on  any  fubjeCt,  (and  he  had  examined  mofl: 
fubjefts  of  importance  with  attention)  he 
was  not  afraid  or  afhamed  to  communicate 

it. 

*  Reverend  Mr.  Devotion's  Lclt:r  to  the  Compiler. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       SS3 

it.  Never  peremptoiy,  however,  in  his  af. 
fertions,  or  decifions  ;  while  he  freely  of- 
fered his  own  fentiments,  he  liftened,  with 
candour,  to  thofe  of  others.  An  advocate 
for  rational  and  free  enquiry,  he  always  en- 
couraged freedom  of  difcuflion,  on  literary, 
political,  and  religious  fubjedts. — x\n  ardent 
friend  to  liberty,  civil  and  religious,  (as  thefe 
memoirs  have  amply  (hewn)  he  oppofed 
the  oppreffions  of  tyranny,  and  aflerted  the 
rights  of  man,  with  uniform  and  enlight- 
ened zeal. 

Paffionately  attached  to  the  interefts  of 
fcience  and  of  religion,  his  delight  in  obfer/- 
ing,  as  well  as  in  accelerating,  their  progrefs, 
was  next  to  enthufiafm.  Speaking  of  cer- 
tain methods  of  promoting  ufeful  knowl- 
edge, which  gave  fome  offence,  he  cbferved, 
in  allufion  to  an  apoftolic  expreflion  :  "  Not- 
withftanding  every  way  knowledge  is  in- 
creafed,  and  I  therein  rejoice,  yea,  and  will 
rejoice." 

His  own  literary  acquirements  were  as 
profound,  as  they  were  diverfified  and  ex- 
tenfive.  He  had  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
the  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin  languages  ; 
and  "  very  few  on  this  fide  of  the  Atlantic 
W  w  have 


354  rUE    LIFE     OF 

have  made  fo  great  progrefs  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Samaritan,  Chaldee,  Syriac,  and 
Arabic."*  On  the  Perfic  and  Coptic  he  be- 
ftowed  fome  attention.  The  French  he  read 
with  facility.  But  his  "judgment  was  too 
difcerning  to  confider  language  in  any  other 
light  than  as  the  key  of  fcience,  and  he 
would   have  defpifed  the   reputation   of  a 

mere  linguift." "  He  was  well  verfed  in 

moft  branches  of  mathematical  knowledge. 
In  natural  philofophy  and  aftronomy  he  ex- 
celied."*!"  With  the  exception  of /acred  lit- 
erature, aftronomy  v^ras  his  favourite  fci- 
ence. ^  I  have  known  no  man,"  fays  hia 
elegant  panegyrift,  "  exprefs  fo  fublime  and 
magnificent  conceptions  of  the  majefty  of 
God,  as  exhibited  in  the  works  of  creation." 
—He  was  familiarly  "  acquainted  with  the 
jurifprudence  and  civil  polities  both  of  an- 
cient and  modern  nations."  J  The  treafures 
of  ancient  hiftory  were  made  his  own,  by 
a  diligent  inveftigation,  facilitated  by  his 
thorough  acquaintance  with  languages  ;  and 
of  modern  hiftory  he  poflefTed  an  exad 
knowledge.  "His  hiftorical  information  has 
feldom  been  equalled.     He  had  traced  it  to 

its 

♦  Prcfeffor  Melgs^  Funeral  Oration,      f  Ibid.      %  Ibid, 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       355 

ks  fountains. — By  fome,  he  has  been  pro- 
nounced too  credulous  in  fome  points  of 
antiquity.  Thofe  who  make  the  aflertion 
ought  to  convince  the  world,  that  they  have 
as  thorough  a  knowledge  of  undoubted  and 
authentic  hiflory  as  he  had.  He  had  trav- 
elled to  a  great  height  in  the  afcent  of  fei-» 
ence  ;  his  fcientific  horizon  was  vaftiy  ex- 
tended ;  thofe  in  the  vale  beneath  could  by 
no  means  be  proper  judges  of  the  profpe£ts 
that  prefented  themfelves  to  his  keen  men- 
tal vifion."* 

"  Theology  was  his  moft  favourite  ftudy^ 
To  perfect  himfelf  in  this  was  the  ultimate 
aim  and  obje<St  to  which  his  vaft  and  vari- 
ous fcientific  attainments  were  directed  and 
devoted.  Whatever  had  a  tendency  to  cc«i- 
firm  the  evidences  of  natural  and  revealed 
religion,  to  afFift  our  conceptions  of  the  di- 
vine nature,  or  enable  us  to  underfland  more 
clearly  the  difcoveries  made  by  revelation,"  f 
engaged  his  ferious  and  attentive  regard. — ■ 
*'  He  had  read  extenfively  the  works  of  di- 
vines in  various  languages,  and  very  fev/ 
have  had  £0  thorough  and  perfe<ft  acquaint- 
ance with  the  writings  of  the  Fathers  of  the 

Chriflian 

*  Profeflbr  Meigs'  Funeral  Oration,  f  Ibid. 


^S6  THE    LIFE    GF 

Chriftian  church."  *  But  he  relied  not  im^ 
plicitly  on  human  opinions,  nor  fettled  the 
articles  of  his  faith  by  human  authority. 
''  He  thought  and  judged  for  himfeif,  with 
a  freedom  and  independence  worthy  of  a 
Philofopher  and  a  Chriftian."f  Not  con-* 
temning,  however,  learned  and  pious  au- 
thors, who  had  lived  before  him,  and  whofe 
writings  had  been  neglected  for  the  Angu- 
larity or  uncouthnefs  of  their  ftyle  ;  he 
availed  himfelf  of  their  labours,  to  increafe 
the  ftock  of  his  theological  knowledge. 
With  the  writings  of  the  Proteftant  Reform- 
ers he  was  much  delighted,  and  with  thofe 
of  the  Proteftant  Diffenters  of  the  lad 
century. 

His  religious  fentiments,  as  he  proceede4 
in  the  ftudy  of  divinity,  were  generally,  as 
may  have  been  perceived,  very  fimilar  to 
thofe  of  Calvin— an  inftance,  among  othfers^ 
which  fhews  the  error  of  an  engaging  and 
ufeful  writer,  in  aiTertlng,  that  "  they,  who 
ftill  retain  the  doctrines  of  Calvin,  do  not 

breathe  all  the  fweetnefs  of  piety."  J His 

religion,  however,  vv^as  derived  immediately 


from 


*  Profe/Tor  Meigs'  FufiCral  Oration.  f  Ibid. 

i  Bennet's  Letters. 


PRESIDENT  STILES,        357 

from  the  Scriptures,  to  which  he  always  ap« 
pealed,  as  to  infallible  oracles  ;  and  his  fac- 
red  reverence  for  their  dictates,  united  with 
great  independence  of  naind,  would  allow 
him  to  call  no  man  father  on  earth. 
If  a  thorough  ftudy  of  the  Scriptures,  in 
their  original  languages,  as  well  as  in  many 
tranflations  ;  a  familiar  acquaintance  with 
the  Rabbinical  writings  ;  a  comprehenfive 
knowledge  of  ecclefiaftical  hiftory,  and  of 
the  various  fyftems  of  polemical  and  pofitive 
divinity,  maintained  in  the  fucceflive  ages 
of  the  Chriftian  church  ;  joined  with 
deep  contemplation,  fervent  devotion,  and 
a  pious  life,  conflitute  a  great  divine — he 
feems  to  have  had  a  jufl  claim  to  this 
character. 

For  his  extenfive  acquifitions  of  knowl- 
edge, he  was  indebted  to  a  mind  at  once 
active  and  comprehenfive  ;  to  a  memory 
quick  to  receive,  and  faithful  to  retain  ;  and 
to  a  diligence  patient  and  indefatigable.  No 
difficulties,  however  formidable,  deterred 
him  from  purfuing,  to  their  extent,  whatev- 
er refearches  he  judged  worthy  of  a  man  of 
fcience. — Though  he  read  with  rapidity^  he 
read    with   heedful   attention ;    and    made 

himfelf 


358  THE    LIFE    OF 

himfelf  mafler  of  the  fubje£l.  If  the  book 
was  not  his  own,  and  efpecially  if  rare  and 
valuable,  he  copied  its  moft  interefting  paf- 
fages  into  his  Literary  Diary.  If  his  own, 
he  wrote  in  the  margin  fuch  remarks  as  oc- 
curred to  him  in  the  perufal.  Here  are  quef- 
tions  concerning  the  juftnefs  of  an  opinion  ; 
doubts,  or  denials,  of  what  is  alleged  as  a  fadt ; 
corredtions  of  errors  ;  and  notes  of  particu- 
lar approbation. He  always  carried  a 

pencil  in  his  pocket,  and  a  fmall  quarto  fheet 
of  blank  paper,  doubled  lengthwife,  on 
which  he  minuted  every  noticeable  occur- 
rence, and  ufefui  information.  When  he 
travelled,  he  carried  feveral  blank  fheets, 
folded  in  the  fame  manner,  and  applied  them 
to  the  fame  purpofe.  When  thefe  memo- 
randa formed  materials  fufficient  for  a  vol- 
ume, he  had  them  bound  j  and  they,  collect- 
ively, compofe  four  curious  volumes  of 
Itineraries,  preferved  in  his  cabinet  of  man^ 
ufcripts. 

His  treafury  of  knowledge  was  greatly  en- 
riched by  a  familiar  intercourfe  with  the  di- 
verfified  clafles  of  mankind.  With  a  candour 
and  complacency,  at  once  amiable  and  dig- 
nifiedj  he  "  gave  his  attention  to  all  perfonSj 

of 


PRESIDENT  STILES.         359 

of  whatever  quality,  talents,  or  educationc 
He  juftly  concluded  that  curious  or  import- 
ant information  might  be  gained  even  from 
the  illiterate  ;  and,  v/herever  it  was  to  be  ob-' 
tained,  he  fought  and  feized  it,"— His  cor- 
refpondence,  which  was  as  refpe6table  as  it 
was  extenfive^  was  a  rich  fource  of  intelli- 
gence and   improvement.      The   American 
names,  Franklin,  Alifon,  Winthrop,  Chaun- 
cy,  Hutchinfon,  Adams  and  JeiFerfon  ;  and 
the    European   nameSj  Furneaux,    Lardner, 
Price,  Macauley,  Erfkine— -form  a  venerable 
aflembiage  ;  and  thefe,  among  numerous  oth- 
ers of  refpedlability  and  diftinguifhed  merit, 
were  in  the  lift  of  his  correfpondents. 

While  he  was  venerated  in  America  for 
his  knowledge  and  piety  ;  he  was  "  acknowP 
edged  by  men  of  genius  and  learning,  both 
in  England  and  Scotland,  to  have  great  merit 
for  his  literary  improvements."* 

Various  Univerfities  and  Academies  fe- 
le£ted  him  as  a  proper  fubjed  for  their 
higheft  honours.—— — The  Univerfity  of 
Edinburgh,  the  Colleges  of  NafTau-Hall  and 
of  Dartmouth,  conferred  on  him  the  de- 
gree 

*  Letter  of  the  Honourable  Mr.  Marchant,  while  in 
Scotland,  to  a  friend  in  America. 


36o  THE    LIF:^    OF 

gree  of  Doaor  in  Divinity:  Naflau,  the 
degree  of  Doftor  of  Laws.  The  Americari 
Philofophical  Society,  the  American  Acad- 
emy of  Arts  and  Sciences,  the  Connecti- 
cut Society  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  and  the 
MafTachufetts  Hiftoricai  Society,  chofe  him 
a   member  of  their  tefpedive  bodies* 

His  love  of  letters,  his  uncommon  ac- 
quirements in  the  circle  of  fcience,  joined 
with  his  didactic  talents,  happily  qualified 
him  for  the  office  of  the  prefidency. 

In  the  difcharge  of  this  office,  he  took 
the  particular  charge  of  the  Senior  clafs,  which 
he  inflruCted  in  metaphyfics,  ethics,  hiftory, 
and  civil  policy,  and  in  theology.  The 
books,  from  which  he  taught  thefe  branches^ 
were  Locke  on  the  Human  Underflanding, 
Paley's  Moral  Philofophy,  Prieflly  on  Hif- 
tory, Montefquieu's  Spirit  of  Laws,  and 
Vincent's  Expofition  of  the  AfTembly's  Cat- 
echifm.  Twice  in  the  week  the  clafs  had 
an  alternate  exercife  of  extemporaneous  and 
of  forenfic  difputation ;  occafionally,  a  fyl- 
logiflic  difputation  ;  and  oil  Saturdays  recit- 
ed  in  Theology. The  Prefident  in- 

ftru<Sed  the  ftudents  in  the  Hebrew  ;    a  lan- 
guage 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        361 

guage  which   he   fingularly  admired,    and 
which  he  wrote,  and  taught,  with  equal  fa-^ 

ciHty  and  pleafure* On  Thurfdays  he 

deUvered  a  lecture  on  eccleliaflical  hiftory. 
On  Saturdays-,  at  evening  prayers  in  the  chap-» 
el,  he  regularly  expounded  the  Savoy  Con- 
feffion  of  Faith.  On  Tuefdays  and  Fridays, 
the  undergraduates,  in  rotation,  declaimed 
before  him,  after  evening  prayers  in  the 
chapel  ;  and  he  commended,  or  criticifed, 
thefe  performances,  according  to  their  ref- 
pe6tive  merits.  In  the  firft  years  of  his  Pref- 
idency,  he  conflantly  attended  prayers  in  the 
chapel,  morning  and  evening  ;  but,  the  prac- 
tice* of  rifing  at  the  academic  hour  proving 
prejudicial  to  his  health,  he,  at  length,  at- 
tended evening  prayers  only.  To  the  pub- 
iic  examinations  of  the  ftudents,  vvhicli  were 
femi-annual,  he  paid  a  regular  and  exact  at- 
tention. On  thefe  occafions,  he  devoted  a 
day  to  each  clafs  ;  and,  during  the  principal 
part  of  the  time,  was  perfonally  prefent,  to 
aid  the  ProfefTors,  Tutors,  and  Graduates, 
in  the  examination,  and  to  mark  the  progrefs 
of  his  pupils.  Thefe  periodical  exercifes,  to- 
gether with  his  perfonal  tuition  of  each  claf;* 
for  one  year,  enabled  him  to  learn,  w^th  greut 
X  X  precifion, 


3^2  THE    LIFE    OF 

precifion,  the  fcholarfhip,  and  the  charader, 
of  each  fludent,  before  he  left  the  univerfity. 
With  fingular  advantage,  therefore,  he  could 
adapt  himfelf  to  every  one,  as  his  genius, 
temper,  and  conduct,  required*  The  dili- 
gent he  commended  ;  the  flothful  he  re- 
proved ;  thofe,  who  united  genius  v^ith  ap- 
plication, he  applauded.  On  all  he  was 
careful  to  imprefs  a  high  fenfe  of  the  value 
and  importance  of  their  academic  privileges. 
While  he  thus  aimed  to  call  every  ingen- 
uous paffiOn  to  the  aid  of  learning,  he  incul- 
cated diligence  and  fidelity,  by  the  folemn 
and  weighty  fandtions  of  religion.  To  en- 
gage the  ftudents  to  a  religious  life,  was,  in- 
deed, an  objedt  of  his  afliduous  endeavours, 
and  of  his  conftant  prayers.  He  availed 
himfelf  of  fuch  opportunities,  as  were  fur- 
nifhed  by  ficknefs,  by  the  lofs  of  parents,  or 
friends,  or  even  by  his  daily  intercourfe  with 
his  pupils,  to  inculcate  the  importance  of 
early  piety.  To  a  ftudent,  who  applied  to 
him  for  inftrudtion,  in  an  abflrufe  fcience,  af- 
ter giving  him  the  defired  affiftance,  he  obfer- 
ved  :  "  I  am  very  ready  to  aflift  my  pupils, 
in  their  purfuit  of  human  knowledge  ;  but  I 
am  more  defirous  that  they  fhould  feek  after 

divine 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        363 

divine  knowledge."  He  then  gently  and 
afFedionately  counfelled  him,  not  to  be  un- 
mindful of  the  things  of  religion  ;  and  rec- 
ommended to  him,  an  immediate  entrance 
on  a  courfe  of  virtue  and  piety.  The  coun- 
fel  was  unexpected,  but  not  unwelcome. 
Delivered  with  paternal  tendernefs,  it  could 
not  but  be  gratefully  received  ;  and  it  left  an 
impreffion,  which  was  never  afterward  erafed. 
To  this  fpecimen  numerous  others  might  be 
added,  of  his  Chriftian  fidelity  to  the  immor- 
tal interefts  of  the  ftudents  committed  to  his 
care.  He  ufed  often  to  fay  :  "  I  wifh  to 
have  a  virtuous  and  religious  College,  as  well 

as  a  learned  one." By  fuch  unequivocal 

proofs  of  his  fmcere  regard  to  the  heft  hap- 
pinefs  of  his  pupils,  he  confirmed  that  ef- 
teem,  which  his  engaging  and  polite  man-, 
ners  had  previoufly  conciliated. 

In  official  ads  of  difcipline,  he  united 
fenfibility  with  firmnefs.  While  apparently 
wounded  by  fuch  immoral,  or  irregular  con- 
dud:  of  the  fludents,  as  could  not  fail  to  be 
ruinous  to  their  own  charaders,  and  excite 
the  moft  poignant  anguifh  in  the  bofoms  of 
their  parents  ;  he  fhrunk  not  from  the  inflic- 
tion of  fuch  punifhment  as  their  crimes  m.er- 

ite(J, 


364  THE    LIFE    OF 

ited,  and  the  penalty  of  the  laws  required. 
Without  order,  the  improvement  of  youth  in 
knowledge  and  virtue,  he  found  to  be  im- 
practicable ;  and  order  could  not  uniformly 
be  preferved,  without  difcipline.     Combina- 
tions of  fludents,  for  the  commiffion,  or  for 
the   concealment,  of  crimes,  could   feldom 
elude  the  vigilance,  and   could  never  refill 
the  energy,  of  his  adminiftration.       In    fo 
numerous  a  colle£lion  of  youth,  there  are 
generally  fome,  too  inattentive  to  their  ftud- 
ies,  too  prone  to  mifchief,  or  too  addicted  to 
vice,  to  be  fafely  continued  in  a  public  fern- 
inary.     If  tender   counfels,  and  ferious  ad- 
monitions, to  thofe  of  this  ch3.ra£ter,  proved 
ineffedual  to  reclaim   tliem,  the   Prefident 
ufed  to  write  to  their  parents,  or  guardians, 
and  advife  to  their  removal.     Many  a  youth 
has  been  thus  kindly  arrefted  in  his  vicious 
courfe,  and  fnatched  from  infamy. 

Though  it  was  peculiarly  the  province  of 
the  Tutors,  to  vifit  the  fcholars  at  their 
chambers — a  practice  which,  from  the  expe- 
rience of  its  numerous*  advantages,  was  uni- 
formly maintained — yet,  he  often  made  fuch 
vifits  in  perfon.  He  made  choice  of  the 
hours  of  fludy,  for  this   purpofe,  that  he 

might 


PRESIDENT   STILES.        365 

might  detedt  and  admonlfh  the  negligent,  or 
vicious  ;  applaud  the  lludious ;  aflift  and 
encourage  all. 

In  the  exercife  of  a  difcretlonary  power, 
he  was  prompt,  judicious,  and  decifive.      If 
he  difcovered  any  indecorum,  he  inftantly 
noticed  and  corrected  it. — - — On  the  Lord's 
^ay,  he  was  peculiarly  attentive  to  the  pref- 
crvation  of  order  and  decency  ;   and,  to  this 
end,  ftridtly  enjoined  it   on  the  Tutors,  to 
vifit  the  chambers  of  the  ftudents  on  that 
day.     When  the  Profeflbr  of  Divinity  be- 
gan his  fermon  in  the  chapel,  the  Prefident 
rofe,  and  caft  his  eyes,  with  minute  atten- 
tion, over  all  the  ftudents,  firft  on  one  fide  of 
the  chapel,  and  then  on  the  other,  to  fee  that 
they  were  properly  feated,  and  decently  at- 
tentive.     By   fuch    vigilant  infpe<5tion,  he 
preferved  a  ftillnefs  and  folemnity,  which  the 
eminent  talents   of  the  ProfefTor  might  not, 
alone,  have  uniformly  infured. 

It  was  his  early  refolution,  to  receive  no 
gifts,  diredly  or  indiredtly,  from  the  ftudents. 
In  many  inftances,  their  parents  fent  him  ar- 
ticles of  provifion,  as  gratuities,  for  which,  as 
appears  by  his   account-books,  he  uniformly 

gave  credit  in  their  quarterly  bills. He 

manifefted 


THE    LIFE    OF 

fnanifefted  a  paternal  concern  for  fuch  of  his 
pupils,  as  found  it  diiEcult  to  defray  the  ex- 
pences  of  their  education  ;  enquired  and  af- 
certained  their  exigencies  ;  and,  in  numer- 
ous inftances,  gratuitoully  difcharged  their 
bills  for  quarterly  tuition.  The  beft  fchol- 
ars  are,  not  unfi'equently,  to  be  found  among 
the  moll  indigent.  Knowing  that  their  fu- 
ture fortunes  are  fufpended  on  their  prefent 
diligence,  they  learn  to  ellimate  their  colle-. 
giate  privileges  more  juftly  than  many  oth- 
ers, who,  through  the  i"ndifcretion  of  their 
parents,  are  furnifhed  with  the  means  of  dif- 
fipation  ;  or,  in  the  expedlation  of  an  ample 
patrimony,  feek  nothing  more  than  the  hon- 
our of  a  diploma.  The  Prefident  coming, 
one  day,  out  of  the  Library,  and  feeing  a 
iludent,  of  bright  parts,  and  of  ftudious 
application,  walking  penfively  alone  in  the 
college  yard,  called  him,  and  made  fome  en- 
quiry about  his  fituation.  Having  encour- 
aged his  perfeverance,  he  put  a  guinea  into 
his  hand,  and  difmifTed  him  with  renovated 
fpirits,  and  a  brightened  countenance.  It 
was  done  with  his  ufual  delicacy.  "  Make 
a  good  improvement  of  it,"  faid  he ;  "  afk 
no  queftions ;  and  fay  nothing." 

Many 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        36.^ 

Many  of  his  feafonable  and  liberal-  gratu- 
ities, to  his  pupils  and  others,  have  been  di- 
vulged fince  his  deceafe.  Not  the  refult  of 
blind  fenfibility,  nor  of  mechanical  habit, 
they  were,  at  once,  infpired  and  regulated 
by  a  Chriftian  principle.  Entrufted  with 
the  bounties  of  Providence,  he  felt  himfelf 
facredly  obligated  to  diftiibute  them  to  others^ 
in  proportion  to  his  ability.  In  confirma- 
tion of  this  trait,  it  is  with  fmgular  pleafure 
that  I  can  produce  a  refpedtable  teftimony, 
from  my  miich  efteemed  friend,  Prefident 
Fitch  J  without  whofe  information,  no  one^ 
perhaps,  could  have  done  full  juftice  to  this 
eminent  part  of  his  character.  "  I  am  glad 
you  have  undertaken  the  Life  of  that  excel- 
lent man,  Dr.  Stiles*  You  have,  I  prefume, 
all  his  papers,  and  will  not  want  materials, 
I  know  not  that  I  can  give  you  anecdotes  or 
information,  that  you  have  not  already. 
One  thing  occurred  to  me  ;  but  I  think  it 
probable  you  know  it.  Several  inftances  of 
Dr.  Stiles'  liberality  to  poor  ftudents,  which 
were  intended  to  be  concealed,  came  to  my 
knowledge.  I  took  occafion,  once,  to  hint 
to  him,  that  perhaps  the  fituation  of  his 
family  made  it  rather  a  duty  to  lay  up  fome- 

thing 


3C8  THE    LIFE    OF 

thing  fcr  them,  than  to  give  fo  much,  as  I 
apprehended  he  did,  to  needy  ftudents.  He 
jgave  me  indirectly  to  underftand,  that,  early 
in  life,  he  had  devoted  a  tenth  of  his  income 
to  the  great  Melcht%edec — ^this  was  his  ex- 
preflion — and  he  feemed  determined  to  ad- 
here to  his  refolution.  He  appeared  unwil- 
ling to  fay  much  on  the  fubjeCt  ;  and  I  never 
introduced  the  delicate  topic  again.  Proba- 
bly this  will  appear  from  his  private  writingSr 
Whether  it  (hould,  or  not,  I  believe  he  had 
formed  fuch  a  refolution,  and  carried  it  in^ 
to  pradice."* 

This  charaCleriflic  trait  is  flill  farther  con- 
firmed, by  the  teftimony  of  another  of  my 
worthy  and  valued  friends  ;  who  was,  alfo^ 
a  confiderable  time,  in  the  tutorfhip,  and  was 
a  confidential  friend  of  the  Prefident.  In  a 
letter  to  me,  on  the  fame  fubjedt,  he  writes  : 
*'  You  doubtlefs  are  informed  of  his  liberal- 
ity. Within  my  knowledge,  he  afforded 
very  confiderable  pecuniary  aid  to  a  number 

of 

*  Letter  to  the  Compiler.  The  Reverend  Mr.  Fitch, 
now  Prefident  of  William?  College,  was  a  Tutor  at  Yale, 
for  fcveral  years,  during  Dr.  Stiles'  prcfidency  ;  and  few 
men  had  better  opportunitie?,  than  he,  to  know  his  prefi- 
dcntial  character. 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        369 

of  fcholars,  to  enable  them  to  purfue  a  pub- 
lic education  ;  and  was  ever  ready  to  con- 
cur in  arrangements  to  favour  thofe,  whofe 
finances  embarrafled  them  in  their  collegiate 
courfe.  PofTeffing  fo  much  benevolence,  his 
public  fituation  afforded  frequent  opportuni- 
ties for  exercifmg  it,  greatly  to  the  benefit 

of  the  rifing   generation."- — To  thefe 

teftimonles  the  Compiler,  were  it  necefTary, 
could  fubjoin  his  own,  with  the  addition  of 
many  others. 

When  any  one  of  his  pupils  was  taken 
fick,  he  immediately  vifited  him,  and  fup- 
plied  the  place  of  a  parent,  by  his  tender 
fympathy,  feafonable  counfel,  and  affiduous 
attentions. 

He  carefully  attended  to  the  age,  difpofi- 
tions,  and  charadlers,  of  his  pupils  ;  and 
made  fome  of  them  fubfervient  to  the  im- 
provement of  others.  If  he  found  fuch 
as  were  young,  in  danger  from  the  contagi- 
ous influence  of  diffipated  companions  ;  he 
took  care  to  locate  them  VvUth  thofe  of  ma- 
turer  years,  and  more  fixed  characters.  The 
idle  he  located  with  the  diligent  ;  the  ga^ 
with  the  ferious  ;  the  mercurial  and  turbu*- 
lent,  with  the  phlegmatic  and  the  fteady  : — » 
Y  V  aa 


37^  THE    LIFE    OF 

an  artangement,  which  contributed  to  indi- 
vidual benefit,  and  to  general  orders 

At  the  public  commencements,  he  prefid- 
td  with  peculiar  dignity,  P^ntering  the  church 
with  gracefulnefs  and  majefly,  his  whole 
addrefs  was,  at  once,  fo  animated  and  digni- 
fied, as  to  arreft  the  attention,  and  preferve 
the  order,  of  the  crowded  aflembly,  which 
this  anniverfary  ftatedly  convened.* 

The  fidelity, with  which  he  fulfilled  the  du- 
ties of  his  important  ftation,  was  proportion- 
ed to  the  variety  and  extent  of  his  talents. 
By  a  very  a<5tive  exertion  of  his  abititieSj 
he  greatly  promoted  the  interefts,  and  ex- 
tended the  reputation,  of  the  Seminary,  over 
which  he  prefided,f    "  No  one  has  exercifed 

the 

*  An  Inftaiice  of  bis  cblledednefs,  and  propriety  of 
condufl,  on  one  fuch  occafion,  is  illitftrative  of  his  pub- 
lic charafter.  Bifhop  Seabury,  having  returned  from  Eu- 
rope, foon  after  his  confecration,  attended  the  commence- 
ment at  Yale  College.  On  his  entrance  into  the  a/Tembly, 
after  the  exercifes  were  begun,  and  the  aifles  crowded,  a 
gentleman  ftepped  up'  to  the  Prefident,  and  folicited  a 
place  for  him  on  the  ftage.  "  It  would  be  invidious,"  he 
•  replied,  *'  amongjG  7»anj>  biJJwpSy  to  difcriminate  Dr.  Sea- 
bury." 

f  What  fenfe  the  Corporation  of  Yale  College  enter- 
tained of  the  importance  of  his  fervices  in  the  prefiden- 
cy,  appears  from  the  following  eitrav5l  of  an  official  vote, 
pafled  foon  after  his  death,  and  prefeatcd  to  Mrs.  Stiles 
'  '  and 


PRESIDENT  STILES.        371^ 

the  arduous  office  of  Prefident  of  this  Col- 
lege with  more  dignity,  and  with  a  greater 
fliare  of  the  afied:ion  and  regard  of  the  Stu- 
dents. They  univerfally  treated  him  with 
lingular  refpe£t  and  veneration.  For  this  he 
was,  in  a  great  meafure,  indebted  to  that  fm- 
gular  pohtenefs  of  manners,  and  that  human^ 
Ity,  with  which  he  conciHated  the  affections 
of  all  whom  he  addrelTed."* 

His  philanthropic  offices,  in  the  prefiden- 
cy,  muft  be  retained  in  deep  remembrance 
by  his  pupils  ;  and  their  unfQlicited  teftimo- 
ny  forms  his  higheft  eulogium.  Oae  fucli 
teftimonial,  contained  in  a  letter  from  a  wor- 
thy minifterf  to  one  of  the  Prefident's  chiU 

dreUy 

and  the  family:  *'  Whereas,  in  the  righteous  difpenfation 
cf  Divine  Providence,  the  Reverend  Dr.  Stiles,  late  Pref- 
ident of  tliis  Univeriity,  is  removed  by  death  ;  we  feel 
ourfeives  impelled,  en  the  prefent  occafion,  to  drop  a  tear 
to  his  meniory«  And  while,  with  lively  emotions  of  grat- 
itude, we  are  led  to  reflect  on  the  divine  goodnefs,  in  rail- 
ing him  up,  and  continuing  him.  to  an  advanced  pariod. 
of  life,  a  diilinguiihed  blefiing  and  ornament  to  ibciety,  to 
the  churches,  to  tl:ie  republic  of  letters,  aild  efpecially  ta 
this  Univerfity,  over  which  he  has  fa  long  preiided  ;  we 
are  conftrained  to  exprefs  the  painful  fenfations  we  experi-\ 
ence,  in  view  of  the  iofs,  which  the  public  has  fuitained^ 
by  the  melancholy  event  of  his  death.'* 

*  Profeffor  Meigs*  Funeral  Oration. 
f  Reverend  Mr.  Taylor,  of  Deerfield? 


,^ ,  .;t 


372  THE    LIFE    OF 

dfen,  foon  after  his  death,  is  too  interefling 
to  be  fuppreffed  :— "  I  fhould  be  ungrateful, 
indeed,  in  forgetting  the  family  of  my 
ivorthy  patron.  All  my  public  ufefulnefs, 
and  all  my  profperity  in  life,  are  derived 
originally  from  the  frlendjhip  and  patronage- 
of  that  amiable  man.  When  I  was  left  an 
orphan,  and  was  furrounded  with  the  moft 
gioomy  circumftances,  with  refpe£b  to  the 
attainment  of  an  education,  and  had  given, 
up  the  pleafnig  idea  ;  by  his  advice  and  en* 
couragement,  I  was  influenced  to  purfue 
the  object,  and  obtained  it.—. « — As  an  in- 
dividual among  your  many  friends,  I  would 
obferve,  that  my  doors  are  open  to  you,  and 
to  your  fillers,  at  all  times  :  and  I  wifh  you 
to  confider  my  houfe,  as  an  occafional  or  a 
fteady  home,  in  which  you,  or  they,  may 
feel  ;fourfelves  as  members  of  my  family, 
and  as  having  a  right  to  all  its  blelTings.  I 
fay,  a  right ;  for  by  whole  inflrumentalityj 
under  God,  am  I  what  I  am  ?  even  by  his^ 
to  whofe  children  my  houfe  is  open,  and  to 
whofe  comfort  and  happinefs  I  Ihould  rejoice 
to  minifter." 

But  thefe  are  local  inftances  of  his  benefi- 
cence. His  general  benevolence  was  wit- 
nefled  by  his  diffufive  charities,     Pofleirmg 

a  foul 


PRESIDENT  STILES.       373^ 

a  foul  glowing  with  philanthropy,  he  exerted 
his  own  ability,  and  ufed  his  influence  with 
others,  to  leflen  the  fum  of  human  mifer}% 
He  was  a  father  to  the  poor ;  and  to  the 
children  of  forrow,  a  fympathetic  and  con- 
foling  friend,  His  fympathy,  however,  was 
not  obtrufive  ;  his  charities  were  not  often- 
tatious.  Aware  of  the  delicate  fenfibilities 
of  Poverty,  he  was  careful  never  to  excite 
the  blufh  of  confcious  obligation.  In  many 
inftances  he  entrufted  his  bounties  confiden- 
tially to  others,  to  be  beflowed  at  their 
difcretion.  The  Reverend  Dr.  Trumbull, 
fucceflbr  to  the  Prefident*s  father,  at  North 
Haven,  informed  me  of  one  inftance  of  a 
depofit,  entrufted  to  him,  by  the  Frefident, 
for  the  poor  widov\7S  of  that  church  ;  together 
with  the  donation  of  a  filver  baptifraal  bafon, 
of  above  ^11  value,  for  the  ufe  of  that 
Society. 

Abforbed  in  literary  purfuits,  or  adlively 
engaged  in  profeffional  duties,  it  is  not  eafily. 
conceived  how  he  could  attend  to  the  fapply 
of  thofe  refources,  which  his  liberal  charities, 
and  the  maintenance  of  a  large  family,  muft, 
apparently,  have  exhaufted.  But  there  is 
that  fcatterethy  and  yet  ificreafeth ;  and  Heav- 
ea  feemed  remarkably  to  blefs  the  faithful 

fteward 


574         THE    LIFE    OF 

fleward  of  its  own  bounties.— —Had  thc^ 
family  been  lef):  ia  indigence,  the  breads  thu$ 
caji  on  the  waters^  would  unqueftionably 
have  hccnfoiwd. 

In  the  relations  of  life  he  was  not  lefe 
eftimable,  than  he  was  eminent  in  his  public 
character.     As  a  hufband,  his  tender  atten- 
tions greatly  endeared  him  to  the  friend  of 
his  bofom.      Fondly  affe(5lionate,  as  a  parent^ 
he  carefully  and  afliduoully  attended  to  the 
intellectual  and  religious  improvement  of  his 
children.    While  he  furnifhed  them  with  the 
beft  of  preceptors,  he  himfelf  inftrudted  them 
in  various  branches  of  ufeful  knowledge,    in 
addition  to  the  accuftomed  courfe  of  female 
education,  he  taught  his  daughters  the  ufe  of 
the  globes,  with  the  improving  and  enter- 
taining fciences  of  geography  and  aftronomy» 
With  a  pious  example,  he  united  frequent 
and  tender  counfels  of  piety.     Nothing  did 
he  inculcate  on  all  his  children,  with  more 
frequency  and  ferioufnefs,  than  the  reading 
of  the  Scriptures  :   and,  as  an  encouragement 
to  other  parents,  it   ought  to  be  recorded, 
that  the  perufal  of  this   facred  book  was  a 
daily  exercife,  which  the  family,  in  general, 
allowed  nothing  but  neceffity  to  interrupt. 
To  his  abfent  children,  he  wrote  letters  re- 
plete 


PRESIDEKT  STILES;         37$ 

plete  with  afFsdionate  and  pious  counfeL 
Thofe  written  to  his  two  daughters,  ill  at 
Cambridge,  during  the  laft  year  of  his  life, 
are  interefting  monuments  of  his  paternal 
afFedion^  and  of  his  Chriftiani  care  to  aid 
their  preparation  for  the  heavenly  world. 
One  ftriking  pafTage,  though  it  may  feem 
prophetical  of  a  very  near  event,  only  ex- 
prefTes  that  regard  to  death,  and  a  future 
ftate,  which,  for  many  years,  had  been  habit- 
ual to  his  contemplative  and  pioUs  mind  : 
"  I  am  foon  to  go  the  way  of  all  the  earth  ; 
and  it  is  my  moft  ardent  defire,  and  daily 
prayer,  that  I  and  my  children  may  meet  in 
a  better  world,  and  be  prepared  for  the 
folemnities  of  eternity,"* 

In 

*  Letter,  dated  April  2,  1795.    His  wife,  an  J 

five  of  his  children,  furvived  him.  His  children  (aU  (£ 
whom  were  by  his  firft  wife)  were  : 

Eiizahethy  who  died  at  Cambridge,- November  16,  lyp^^ 

Ezra,  who^ied  in  North-Carolina,  Auguil  22,  i784.' 

Kezia  Taylor^  (wife  of  Lewis  Burr  Sturges,  Efqnire,| 
•who  died  at  New-Haven,  December  29,  17S5. 

Emilia t  who  married  Jonathan  Leavit,  Efquire,  in  1795. 

Ifaacy  who  was  abfent  on  a  voyage,  at  the  time  of  his 
father's  death,  and  has-  not  fmce  been  beard  of. 

Ruth,  ftill  living — at  Cambridge. 

Mary,  (wife  of  Reverend  Abiel  Hplmes)  wh^  diet^ 
Auguft  29,  1795.  -■ 

iS«jr«^,  "Who  died  in  infancy,  in  1769. 


^y6  THE    LIFE    OF 

In  the  performance  of  family  religion,  hd 
was  regular,  ferious,  and  devout.  He  read 
the  Scriptures  with  frequency,  and  with  a 
ftudious  attention.  The  Hebrew  or  the 
Englifh  Bible  was  generally  in  his  hand  an 
hour  or  two  in  the  morning.  At  breakfaft^ 
he  placed  it  by  his  chair;  looked  into  it  repeat- 
edly while  at  table  5  and  afterwards  refumed 
it.  In  his  prayers  on  Saturday  evenings^ 
and  on  Lord's  daySj  he  took  very  particular 
notice  of  the  fpecial  mercies,  or  affli(0:ionsi 
with  which  his  family  had,in  times  paft,  been 
vilited  5  and  affectionately  commended  his 
abfent  children^  and  his  beloved  flock  at 
Newport,  with  its  prefent  paftor,  to  the  blef- 
fing  of  God.  At  evening  prayers,  on  the 
Lord's  day,  after  reading  the  Scriptures,  he 
fung  a  pfalm,  or  hymn,  in  which  he  was 
joined  by  his  family ;  and  it  was  a  facred 
exercifc  with  which,  in  public  or  private,  he 
was  uncommonly  delighted. 

The  prayers  of  others  he  highly  valued  ; 
and,  befide  his  accuftomed  devotion,  he 
ftatedly  retired,  for  feveral  years,  every  fab- 
bath  day  at  fun-fet,  to  pray  for  a  felc6t  num- 
ber of  Chriftian  friends,  vdth  whom  he  pri- 
vately agreed  to  obferve  this  feafon,  for  a 

mutual 


PRESIDENT   STILES.       377 

mutual  exercife  of  interceffion  at  the  throne 
of  grace. 

His  religious  chara£ler  appears  in  nume- 
rous pages  of  thefe  Memoirs,  and,  particu- 
larly, in  his  Birth-day  Reflections.  Piety, 
like  a  golden  chain,  has  ferved,  at  once,  to 
give  a  connexion  and  an  ornament  to  the 
work,  which  the  aflemblage  of  genius,  learn- 
ing, and  the  moft  refined  morality,  could 
never  have  furnifhed.  Were  any  one  of 
his  Chriftian  graces  to  be  difcriminated,  it 
ihould,  perhaps,  be  his  humility ;  a  virtue 
feldom  attached  to  great  intelleClual  talents^ 
and  to  high  ftations  ;  but  which  confers  the 
trueft  dignity  on  both.  His  deep  contempt 
of  human  pride,  whether  it  betrayed  itfelf 
in  others,  or  was  found  lurking  in  his  own 
bofom,  is  defcernible  in  a  pafiage,  prefixed 
to  his  Birth-day  Refledlions  :  "  How  abfo- 
lutely  contemptible  is  a  man,  glorying  in 
fome  little  eminency  among  his  fellow 
v;orms  ;  while,  in  comparifon  with  the  im- 
menfity  of  the  univerfe,  and  in  the  view  of 
fuperior  fpirits,  and,  above  all,  in  the  contem- 
plation of  God,  he  mufl  appear   nothing, 

lefs  than  nothing,   and  vanity  !" As  he 

was  learned   without  pedantry,  he  was  re- 
Z  z  ligioud 


378         THE    LIFE    OF,    ^r, 

ligious  without  fuperftitlon.  A  Chriftian 
believer  on  unlliaken  principles,  he  gloried 
in  nothing  fo  much  as  in  the  crofs  of  Chrift  ; 
and  next  to  his  own  immortal  intereft,  his 
Zeal  and  his  talents  were  unitedly  employ- 
ed, to  bring  others  to  the  faving  knowledge 
of  divine  truth. 

If  he  highly  eflimated  human  Learning, 
he  placed  a  higher  eftimate  on  Religion* 
Living  daily  under  the  influence  of  its  pre- 
cepts ;.  fupported  through  life  by  its  prom- 
ifes  ;  having  that  Jjope  in  deaths  which  it  is 
calculated  to  infpire  ;  he  nobly  finiihed  his 
courfe,  and,  with  Chriftian  triumph,  re- 
ceived the  fummons  to  his  heavenly  man- 
fion.*— 

*  Grief  fhuns  the  public  view,  and  pours  forth  her 
tears  in  retirement.  Decency,  too,  forbids  that  perfonal 
forrows  be  obtruded  on  llrangers.  The  Compiler  has 
endeavoured  to  let  the  Son  be  loft  in  the  Biographer.— ~ 
Here,  however,  he  afks  indulgence  to  add,  in  the  words 
of  Erafmus,  deploring  the  death  of  his  great  Patron^ 

Warham  : — "  Haec  fcripfi  gemens  ac  mcerens. Me- 

am  deploro  vicem,  non  illius. Praeclarum   ille  fidus 

fuit  ecclefijE,  nunc  prjeclarius  acceflit  coslo  :  utinam  mihi 
contingat  veluti  minutam  ftellulam  adjungere  foli  meo." 

APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX. 


No.  I.      IFidepageg.^ 

John  stiles,  the  Prefident's  grancjfather, 
(fon  of  John  Stiles,  who  was  brought  an  infant  froin 
Milbroke  in  England)  maiTled  Ruth  Bancroft,  by  whom 
he  had  fourteen  children,  two  of  whom,  Ifaac  and  Abel, 
were  minifters  of  the  gofpel.  The  Reverend  Ifaac  Stiles, 
the  Prefident's  father,  was  born  at  Windfor,  in  Connecti- 
cut, in  1697,  and  educated  at  Yale  College,  where  he 
graduated  in  1722.  After  the  lofs  of  his  firft  wife,  Ruth 
Wyllys,  he  married  Efther  Hooker,  of  Farmington,  by 
whom  he  had  ten  children. 

His  Epitaph  gives  a  fummary  view  of  his  hiftory  and 
icharafler  ; 

This   Monument   is   eredted 

To  the  memory  of 

The  Reverend  ISAAC  STILES,  A.  M. 

Who   was  bom  in  Windfor,   July  30,   1697  ; 

Received  a  liberal  education 

At  Yale  College  ; 

Ordained  to  the  paftoral  office 

In  the   Church   of  North-Haves, 

November  11,  1724, 

WTiere   he  ferved   in   tlie  miniftry  36  yean:. 

And  died  May  14,  1760,  -(Etat.  63. 

Having  a  mind  ennobled 

With   fublime    and   venerable  conceptions 

Of  the  glories  of  the  MOST  HIGH, 

And  the  perfe(fl  order  and  happinefs  of  the  unlverfe  ; 

Illuminated  with  divine  views 

Of  the    ceconomy  of  that   part   of  it 

Under  the  Mediatorial  Dominion 

Of  JESUS  CHRIST  ; 

Alfo, 


38o  APPENDIX. 

Alfo, 

Being  intimately  acquainted  with  the  Sacred  Oracles  j 

And  having  a  Natural  Gift  of  Elocution, 

He  preached  the  Gofpel  with  Fervour  and  Fidelity  : 

A  Friend  to  pure  and  undefiled 

Religion, 

With  a  charitable  benevolence 

To    ALL    Mankind, 

Mors  mihi  vita  ejl. 

The  B-everend  Abel  Stiles  was  educated  at  Yale  CoU 
lege,  where  he  graduated  in  1733  '■>  ^^^  •'^  which  feminary 
he  was  afterward  a  Tutor.  He  was  fettled  in  the  miniflry 
at  Woodllcck  (North  Society)  in  Connedicut,  where  he 
died  July  25,  1 783*  in  the  75th  year  of  his  age,  and  46th, 
of  his  miniftry.  His  charader  was  thus  drawn,  at  his 
death  ;  "  In  him  uncommon  ftrength  of  genius  and  fuperi- 
or  capacity  were  refined  and  brightened  by  a  learned  edu- 
cation ;— by  application  his  claffic  knowledge  became  ex- 
tenfive,  his  acqiiirements  in  natural  and  moral  philofophy 
ccnfiderable,  in  divinity  eminent.  Diligent  and  critical 
in  his  rcfearches  into  the  Holy  Scriptures,  he  was  hereby 
fumifhed  for  dodrine,  for  reproof,  for  corredion,  for  Inftruc- 
ticn  in  righteaufnefs,  and  fmgularly  for  prayer,  in  which 
he  became  wifer  than  all  his  teachers.  As  a  preacher,  his 
defcriptions  were  clear,  his  admonitions  weighty,  his  exhort- 
ations folcmn  ;  and  both  his  prayers  and  difeourfcs  ftriking- 
ly  adapted  to  unexpctfted  and  incidental  occafions.  He 
proved  himfelf  the  fcrlbe  v.'ell  inftruftcd  unto  the  kingdom — 
;ipt  to  teach — Inftruftive  in  converfation — the  fmcere^  fteady 
friend,  parent  and  hufbanJ  ;  and  although  hafty  in  his  nat- 
ural temper,  yet  fenfible  of  this  conftitutional  defect,  and 
frequently  reflecting  on  himfelf  with  penitence  and  prayer, he 
fhcwcd  the  tender,  conipaffionatc,  benevolent,  good  man." 

In  a  letter  to  Sir  Francis  H.  E.  Styles,  Baronet,  Lon- 
don, written  in  1764,  Dr.  Stiles  obfervcs,  that  his  great- 
grandfather, John  Stiles,  was    married  about    i6ij5o,  and 

addi  : 


APPENDIX.  3?J 

adds :  "  In  the  firll  century  from  his  marriage  there  have 
been,  among  his  offspring,  397  births,  107  deaths,  83. 
marriages  ;  and  290  are  living  at  the  end  of  the  century. 
The  offspring  accrued  one  third  in  the  firft  75  years ;  and 
two  thirds  in  the  laft  25  years.  Of  32  births  20  live  to 
marry  j  not  above  one  quarter  die  rn  infancy.  I  judge 
there  have  fprung  from  the  four  brothers,  [meaning  Henry, 
John,  Francis,  and  Thomas,  who  came  to  New-England 
in  1634]  nearly  4000  fouls,  in  130  years,  fmco  their  ac^ 
cefllon  to  America." 

The  Reverend  Edivard  Taylor  was  born  at  the  village 
of  Sketelby,  near  Hinkley,  a  market-town  in  Leicefter- 
fhire,  in  England.  He  was  defigned  for  the  miniflry  ;  but 
the  troubles  that  followed  the  ejedtion  of  2000  minifters,  in 
1662,  became  fuch  heavy  difcouragements  to  the  Puritan 
or  Diflenting  intereft  in  England,  as  determined  Mr.  Tay- 
lor to  a  voluntary  exile  from  his  native  country,  to  enjoy 
liberty  of  confcience  in  Anierica.  He  accordingly  came  to 
America  in  i658,  and  finifhed  his  theological  ftudies  at 
Harvard  College,  where  he  graduated  in  167 1.  He 
began  to  preach  at  Weftfield,  in  MafTachufetts,  in  Decem- 
ber, 1 67 1,  where  he  continued  in  the  miniftry  57  years, 

till  his  death. In   1674,  he  married  Elizabeth  Fitch, 

daughter  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Fitch,  of  Norwich,  by  whorn 
he  had  8  children.  In  1692,  he  married  Mifs  Wyllys,  his 
fecond  wife,  the  grandmother  of  Prefident  Stiles  5  and 
died,  June  24,  1729,  aged  about  83  years. 

The  family  of  Wyllys  may  be  traced  back  to  the  reign 

of  Edward  IV,  more  than  three  centuries. Omitting 

the  intermediate  defcents  between  Sir  Adam  de  Knapton, 
preferved  in  the  records  of  the  family,  the  following  pedi- 
gree may  gratify  inquifitive  minds  : 

I.  Richard  Wyllys,  of  Napton,  in  the  county  of  War- 
wick  2.   Thomas  Wyllys 3.   Richard  Wyllys 

4.  William  Wyllys 5.  Ambrofe  Wyllys 6.  Richard 

Wyllys 


382  APPENDIX, 

Wyllys 7.  George  Wyllys* 8.  Samuel  Wyllys — — »» 

9.  Hekekiah  Wyllys 10.  George  Wyllys,  late  Secre- 
tary of  the  State  of  Conneflicut. 

No. 

*  This  gentleman  came  to  New-England,  about  the  year  1635, 
kaving  an  eftate  of  £500  fterling  per  annum,  at  Fenny  Compton,  in 
the  county  of  Warwick  ;  and,  with  his  family  and  dependents,  af- 
fifled  in  the  fettlement  of  the  town  of  Hartford,  in  Connedticut, 
where  he  died  in  1644. 

The  Honourable  Samuel  Wyllys,  the  great-grandfather  of  Prefi- 
dent  Stiles,  married  Ruth  Haynes,  daughter  of  John  Haynes,  Efquire, 
of  Copford  Hall,  in  Eflex,  the  iirft  Governor  of  Connecflicut.  He 
was  educated  at  Harvard  College,  in  Cambridge,  where  he  gradu* 
ated  in  1653.  Dr.  Trumbull  has  given  a  fketch  of  his  charadler,  in 
page  150  of  his  Hiftory  of  Connedlicut. 

The  laft  of  the  name,  in  the  abore  pedigree,  the  Honourable 
George  Wyllys,  between  whom  and  Prefident  Stiles  an  intimate 
friendfhip  fubfifted,  was,  in  every  refpedt,  worthy  of  his  anceflry. 
He  was  born,  Qdlober  6,  17 10,  and  died,  April  23,  1796,  in  the 
86th  year  of  his  age.  "  I  never  knew,"  fays  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Strong,  "  a  more  firm  believer  of  the  ChrlftiJm  Revelation,  or  a 
greater  admirer  of  the  Gofpel  of  Jefu5,  in  its  dodtrincs  of  grace  and 
holinefs.  He  had  a  great  acquaintance  with  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
and  proved  his  love  of  them  by  a  mod  exemplary  pradlice.  He 
was  a  fteady  friend  of  all  religious  Inftitutions  ;  and,  by  his  influ- 
ence  in  Society,  a  rich  blefling  to  the  church  of  God. He 

fucceeded  his  father,  as  Secretary  of  the  State  of  ConneAicut,  in 
October,  1730,  and,  without  interruption,  filled  the  office  nearly  64 
years  ;  an  inftacce  of  long  continuance  in  oflSce,  that  is;  perhaps  un- 
equalled. This  circumftance  is  full  evidence  of  a  firm  conflitution, 
of  a  temperate  life,  and  of  a  tyife  and  difcerning  mind  ;  for  it  muft 
be  fuch  a  mind  which  could,  h  long,  and  through  fo  many  political 
florms,  retain  the  confidence  of  the  people,  in  a  popular  govern- 
ment, and  obtain  an  annual  eledlion  by  their  voices,  livithout  9 
rival.  He  had  a  fingnlar  wifdom,  which  taught  him  when  to  fpealc, 
and  when  to  be  filent  ;  and  obtained  an  influence  by  moderation 
and  integrity,  to  which  fadlion  vainly  afpires."f — He  is  fucceeded  in 
office  by  his  worthy  and  refpedlabie  fon,  the  Honourable  Samuel 
Wyllys. 

f  Strmcn  at  tie  f antral  of  the  Steretary, 


APPENDIX.  383 

No.   11. 

A  Sketch  cf  the  History  /  YALE  COLLEGE. 

THE  defign  of  founding  a  College,  in  Connefticut,  wai 
concerted  by  feveral  refpeftable  and  pious  minifters,  of  that 
Colony,  with  a  primary  view  to  the  education  of  youth  for 
the  miniftry-  When  the  fubje<5l  had  been  under  their  con- 
templation, and,  through  their  influence,  under  that  of  the 
public,  for  about  two  years,  "  ten  of  the  principal  minif- 
ters were  nominated,  and  agreed  upon,  by  a  general  con- 
fent  both  of  the  minifters  and  people,  to  ftand  as  Truftees, 
or  Undertakers,  to  found,  erect,  and  govern  a  College."* 
The  minifters,  thus  nominated,  met  at  New-Haven,  in  the 
year  1700,  and  agreed  to  accept  the  truft,  and  to  found 
the  propofed  Seminary.  The  Inftitufion  was,  accordingly, 
eftablifhed,  foon  after,  by  this  formal  aifl  :  "  Each  mem- 
ber brought  a  number  of  books,  and  prefented  them  to  the 
body  ;  and,  laying  them  on  the  table,  faid,  /  give  thefe 
hoiks  fir  the  fiunding  of  a  College  in  this  Cohny.^''\  The 
Truftees  foon  received  feveral  donations  of  books,  and 
money,  which  laid  a  good  foundation  for  the  Inftitution.- 
Doubts  ariflng,  however,  whether  they  were  fully  vefted 
with  a  legal  capacity  to  hold  lands,  and  whether  private 
donations  and  contributions  would  yield  a  fufficiency  to  car- 
ry on  fo  great  a  defign  ;  it  was  propofed  to  make  applica- 
tion to  the  General  A/Tembly  of  the  Colony,  for  affiftance  ; 
and  to  afk  for  a  Charter.  A  petition  was  prefented,  and 
the  Affembly,  very  ready  to  encourage  fuch  a  laudable 
and  pious  defign,gave  the  Charter  in  1 701,  and  made  a  grant 
of  money  for  the  encouragement  of  this  infant  Seminary. 

Soon 

*  Prefi<Jep.t  Clap's  Hiftory  of  Yale  College,  publiflied  in  1766  ; 
from  which  this  hiflorical  fummary,  down  to  that  time,  is  principal* 
Jy  derived. 

t  Thefe  books,  (being  40  volumes,  in  folio)  are  eftixnated  bjr 
Prefident  Clap  at  /^.^o  Ikfling. 


^84  APPENDIX, 

Soon  after  the  reception  cf  the  Charter,  -the  Truflee* 
met,  ^^^  eftablifhed  certain  Rules  for  the  regulation  of  the 
Seminary ;  and  from  their  own  number  chofe  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Pierfon,  the  miniller  cf  Killingworth,  to  the  office  of 
ihRructlng  and  governing  the  Collegiate  School,  under  the 
title  and  charafter  of  Rector.  They  fixt  on  Saybrook,  as 
the  moft  convenient  place,  at  prefentj  for  the  College  ;  and 
here  the  firft  Commencemeiit  was  holden,  on  the  13th  of 
September,  1702. 

Several  attempts  were  made  to  effefl  the  removal  of  Rec- 
tor Pierfon  to  Saybrook,  but  without  fuccefs  ;  the  fmallnefs 
<5f  the  Collegiate  finances,  and  the  oppofuion  of  his  own 
Congregation  to  the  meafure,  preventing  its  execution.— 
Although,  therefore,  the  Commencements  were  holden  at 
Saybrook  ;  the  ftudents,  during  Reftor  Pierfon's  admlniftra- 
tibn,  refided  at  Killingworth.  The  Rector  died  in  April, 
1707,  ''  to  the  unfpeakable  grief  and  lofs  both  of  the  Col- 
lege and  of  his  people." — "  Me  was  educated  at  Harvard 
College,  and  graduated  there  A.  D.  1668  ;  was  a  hard 
Itudent,  a  good  fcholar,  a  great  divine,  and  a  wife,  fteady 

and  judicious  gentleman  in  all   his  conduifV. He  was, 

for  many  years,  a  faithful  and  well  refpefled  Paflor  of  the 
Church  in  Killingworth  ;  and,  after  he  was  chofen  Re<5lor, 
he  inftru(fled  and  governed  the  infant  College,  with  general 
approbation.  He  compofed  afyftem  of  Natural  Philofophy, 
■*-hich  the  ftudents  ftudied  for  many  years." 

Upon  the  death  of  Rector  Pierfon,  the  Reverend  Mr, 
Andrew,  of  Milford,  was  choftii  Redor  protempore,  until 
One  could  be  obtained,  who  (aould  refide  at  the  Collegiate 
School.  The  Senior  clafs  was  now  removed  to  Milford, 
and  the  other  clafTes  were  placed  under  the  care  of  Tutors, 
at  Saybrook,  fubjeift  to  the  infpeiftion  of  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Buckingham,  the  minifter  of  that  place,  one  of  the  Truftees, 
In  this  obfcure  and  unorganized  ftate  the  College  contin- 
ued, at  Saybrook,  about  fevcn  years,  without  any  remark- 
able alteration,  or  occurrence. 

In 


APPENDIX.  ^^ 

In  1714.  a  donation  of  above  800  volumes,  of  veaT" 
Valuable  books,  was  prefented  to  this  Seminary  by  Jere- 
miah Dummer,  Efq.  of  Bofton,  then  an  agent  at  London. 
About  120  volumes  were  at  his  own  coft  and  charge  ;  and 
the  rell  were  obtained,  by  his  procurement,  from  ftveral 
gentlemen  in  England.  Sir  Ifaac  Newton,  Sir  Richard 
Blackmore,  Sir  Richard  Steele,  Dr.  Burnet,  Dr.  Wood- 
ward, Dr.  Halley,  Dr.  Bently,  Dr.  Kennet,  Dr.  Calamy, 
Dr.  Edwards,  the  Reverend  Mr.  Henry,  and  Mr.  Whiilon, 
feverally  gave  a  colleftion  of  their  own  v-rorks  ;  and  Gov- 
ernor Yale  contributed  about  40  volumes.  Prefident  Clap 
eftimated  the  value  of  the  whole  at  £z6o  fterling. 

The  difperfed  ftate  of  the  ftudents  -was  attended  with  fucK 
numerous  difadvantages,  as  induced  the  people,  in  feveral 
parts  of  the  Colony,  to  fubfcribe  large  lums,  in  1 7 1 6,  for 
the  erection  of  a  College  edifice,  where  it  would  beft  ac- 
commodate them^  About  ;^700  fterling  were  fubfcribed 
for  New-Haven  ;  about  £s®^  ^°^  Saybrcok  ;  and  a  con- 
fiderable  fum  for  Hartford,  or  Wethersfield.  The  Truf- 
tees,  foon  after,  voted  to  remove  the  College  from  Say- 
brook  to  New-Haven  ;  and,  accordingly,  for  the  firft  time, 
held  the  Commencement  there  on  tlie  nth  of  September, 
i^iy. .—Among  feveral  large  donations,  which  the  Sem- 
inary received  about  tliis  time,  the  greateft  \va.s  from  Gov- 
ernor Yale,  of  London.  Having,  the  preceding  year,  fent 
aibove  3C0  volumes  of  books,  which,  in  addition  to  tlioie 
fcnt  in  Mr.  Dummer's  colleclion,  were  valued  by  Prefident 
Clap  at  ;^  1 00  fterling  J  he,  this  year,  fcnt  goods  to  the 
value  of  ;^2O0  fterling,-  at  prime  coll,  befides  the  king'9 
picture,*  and  arms.  Three  years  after,  he  £ent  addluonal 
goods,  to  the  value  of  ;^ 1 00  fterling;  and  th?  avails  of 
both  parcels  Vv'cre  added  to  the  funds  of  the  Inftituti^n. 

The  Truftees  were  now  enabled  to  finilh  a  large  and  com- 
modious edifice,  which  they  had  raifed  in  October,  the  pre- 
A  A  a  ceding 

■  •  George  I.     k  is  an  excellent  painting,  by  the  celtbrcited  Sir  God- 
frey KasUsT ;  and  remains  in  the  Philofophy  ChaoiSer. 


386  APPENDIX. 

ceding  year  ;  and  which,  within  a  year  after,  was  fit  for 
the  reception  of  the  {Indents.  "  it  was  170  feet  long,  22 
feet  wide,  and  3  ftories  high,  made  ahandfome  appearance, 
and  contained  nearly  50  ftadies  in  convenient  chanabers, 
befides  the  Hall,  Library,  and  Kitchen,  and  coft  about 
£1000  fterling."* — At  a  fplendid  comme-rtcement,  Sep- 
tember 12,  1 71 8,  in  the  prefence  cf  Governor  Saltonftall, 
and  a  large  and  refpe<5table  affembly,  the  Truitees,  in  com- 
memoration of  Governor  Yale's  great  generofity,  called 
the  edifice,  after  his  name,  Yale  College. f 

The  College  being  now  fixed  at  New-Haveny  and  its 
fiinds  having  become  adequate  to  a  more  perfed  organiza- 
tion, the  Truftees  (March,  1 719)  ehofe  the  Reverend  Tim- 
othy 

*  The  hli  remains  gf  this  edifice  were  taken  down  in  1788. 

f  "  Governor  Yale  defcended  from  an  ancient  and  wealthy  fam- 
ily in  Wales,  which,  for  many  generations,  pofTeffed  the  manor  of. 
Plas  Grannow,  and  feveral  other  mefluages,  near  the  city  of  Wrex- 
ham, of  the  yearly  value  of  j^joo^  Thomaa  Yak,  Efquire,  the 
Governor's  father,  for  the  fake  of  religion,  came  over  to  America, 
with  the  Srft  fcrtlers  of  New-Haven,  in  1638.  Here  the  Governor 
■was  born  in  1648.  He  went  to  England,  ai  the  age  of  about  ten 
years  ;  to  the  Eaft-Indies,  at  about  thirty ;  acquired  a  very  gre^it 
eftate,  was  made  Governor  of  Fort  St.  George,  and  married  ao 
Indian  lady  of  fortune,  the  relidt  of  Governor  Hinmers,  his  prede- 
ceflbr.  After  his  return  to  London,  he  was  chofen  Governor  o£ 
the  Eaft-India  Company,  and  made  the  before-mentioned  donations. 
He  journeyed  into  Wales,  and  died,  July  8,  1711,  at  o?  near  the 
feat  of  his  anceftors."  His  eldeft  daughter,  Catharine,  was  married- 
to  Dudley  North,  Efqtiire,|  whofe  only  fen,  Mr.  Dudley  North,  was, 
in  1789,  a  memb<:r  of  Parhament,  and  in  pofTeffion  of  the  anceftoria! 
feat  at  Gleniham.  This  gentleman,  on  the  application  of  Prcfident 
Stiles,  tJ'Tough  the  addrefs  of  Samuel  Broome,  Efquire,  merchant,  of 
New-Haven,  in  1789,  prefented  to  Yale  College,  an  excellent  full 
length  portrait  of  his  anceftor.  Governor  Yale,  taken  in  1717  ;  3 
fmall  copy  of  which  is  in  my  pofleflion. 

\  A  Note,  noto  before  xte,  -written  by  the  late  Lord  North,  correBs  a 
fmall  error  of  JPrefident  Clajif  -who  fu^pofed  thit  fon-'in-la-w  of  Governor 
Tale  to  be  Lord  North. 


APPENDIX.  3*7 

«thy  Cutler,  minifter  of  Stratford,  to  be  refident  Rector  till 
their  next  meeting.  Ke  accepted  the  truft,  and,  at  the 
enfuing  commencement,  was  confirmed  in  the  office. 

In  1722,  the  Truilees  built  a  houfe,  for  the  ufe  of  the 
ReSor,  and  of  his  fuccefTors.  The  fame  year,  it  appear- 
ing that  the  Rector  purpofed  to  reiinquilh  the  communion 
of  the  churches  in  Connecticut,  and  to  go  to  England  for 
Epifcopal  ordination,  the  Truilees  paiTed  a  vote,  "  excut 
ing"  him  "  from  all  further  fervice,  as  Rector  of  Yale 
College," 

Dr.  Cutler  was  educated  at  "Harvard  College,  in  Cam- 
bridge, and  graduated  there  in  1701.  In  rfie  year  171Q, 
he  was  ordained  over  a  church  at  Stratford,  according  to 
the  conftitutioii  of  the  churches  in  Connecticut.  After  hi* 
removal  from  the  reclorate^  he  went  to  England,  and  took 
Epifcopal  orders,  and  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  in 
Divinity,  from  both  the  Univerfities  of  Oxford  and  Cam- 
bridge. He  was  afterwards  Reftor  of  Chrift's  church,  in 
Bofton,  and  died  there  in  Auguft,  1765.  "  He  was  a 
gentleman  of  fuperior  natural  powers  and  learning  ;  had 
■entertained  a  high  opinion  of  the  conftitution  of  the  church 

of  England,  and  was  zealouCy  attached  to  it."* "  He 

was  an  excellent  linguift  ;  a  great  Hebrician  and  Onent- 
alift.  He  had  more  knowledge  of  the  Arabic" — in  Dr. 
Stiles'  judgment — "  than  any  man  in  New-England  be- 
fore him,  except  Frefident  Chauncy,  and  his  difciple,  the 
firft  Mr.  Thatcher.  He  was  a  good  logician,  geographer, 
and  rhetorician.  In  the  pfailofophy,  and  metaphyiics,  and 
ethics,  of  his  day,  he  was  great.  He  Ipoke  Latin  with 
great  fluency  and  dignity,  and  with  great  propriety  of 
pronunciation.  He  was  a  man  of  extenfive  reading  in 
the  academic  fciences,  divinity,  and  ecclefiaftical  hiitory  ; 
and  of  a  commanding  prefence  and  dignity  in  govern- 
ment. He  was  of  a  lofty  and  defpotic  mien,  and  made  z 
grand  figure  at  die  head  of  a  College."! 

Afte? 
tf 

*  PreCdent  Clap,  f  Literary  Diary, 


S88  APPENDIX. 

{[r  725.]  After  an  interval  of  three  years,  in  which  eac^ 
of  the  Truftees  refided  alternately  at  College,  with  the  au- 
thority of  a  Redor,  the  board,  Sept.  29,  chofe  the  Rev, 
Ehlha  Williams,  mjnifter  of  Newington,  in  Wethersfield,  to 
the  re(5ioral  ofEce.     He  was  inaugurated  in  Sept.  1726. 

[1732.]  In  Goober,  the  General  Aflembly  of  Connec- 
ticut gener6ufly  granted  to  the  College  1500  acres  of  land, 
namely,  300  in  each  of  the  new  towns  of  Norfolk,  Canaan, 
Gofhen,  Cornwal,  and  Kent ;  which  grant  was  confirmed 
by  a  patent  in  1741. 

In  1732  the  Rev.  Dr.  George  Berkeley,  then  Dean  of 
Derry,  in  Ireland,  afterward  Bilhop  of  Cloyne,  came  to 
America  with  an  intention  of  founding  an  Epifcopal  Col- 
lege. He  refided  a  year  or  two  at  Newport,  in  Rhode- 
Ifland,  where  be  purchafed  a  country  feat,  and  nearly  100 
acres  of  land.  Becoming  perfonally  acquainted  with  one 
of  the  Truftees  of  Yale  College,  and  with  other  gentlemen, 
f  who  informed  him  of  the  ftate  and  genius  of  this  Col- 
lege," and  holding  a  correfpondence  with  Redlor  Williams, 
he  was  induced  to  patronize  this  infant  Seminary.  A  man 
of  fcience  hinifelf,  and  endowed  with  a  generous  difpofition 
to  promote  an  extenfive  propagatiogi  of  ufeful  and  orna- 
mental knoY/ledge,  in  1732  he  fent  a  deed  of  his  farm  at 
Rhode-Ifland  to  this  College.  "  The  dei^criptions  and  cor^- 
ditions  in  the  deed;,  not  being  perfedly  adapted  to  the  ftate 
of  the  College,  at  the  defire  of  the  Truftees,  he,  the  next 
year,  fent  another  deed,  in  which  it  was  ordered,  that  the 
rents  of  the  farm,*  (after  necefiary  charges  az^e  dedudled;;) 
fhould  be  appropriated  to  the  maintenance  of  the  three 
beft  fcholars  in  Greek  and  Latin,  who  fliould  refide  at  Col- 
lege at  leaft  nine  months  in  a  year,  in  eacl^  of  the  three 

years, 

*  This  farm  was  lenfed  in  the  year  1762,  for  thf  term  of  999  y^ars : 
The  annual  rent  to  be  £18  fterling,  and  40  rods  of  ftone  wall,  to  the 
year  1769  ;  then  ^^36,  to  the  year  1810  ;  and,  after  that,  240  buflids 

af  good  wheat,  to  the  end  of  the  term. Since  the  revolutionary 

war,  the  amaual  rent  has  been  izC  ounces  of  filver. 


APPENDIX.  385 

years,  between  their  firft  and  fecond  degrees :  That  on  the 
6th  day  of  May,  annually,  or,  in  cafe  that  fhould  b? 
Sunday,  on  the  7th,  the  candidates  fhould  be  publicly  ex- 
amined by  the  Preiident  or  Rector,  and  the  Senior  Epifco- 
pal  miffionary,  within  this  Colony,  who  ihould  be  then 
prefent ;  and  in  cafe  none  be  prefent,  then  by  the  Prefident 
only  :  And,  in  cafe  the  Prefident  and  Senior  Mifllonary 
fhould  liot  agree  in  their  fentiments  who  are  the  beft  fchol- 
ars,  the  cafe  Ihall  be  determined  by  lot :  And  that  all  fur= 
plufages  of  money,  which  fhould  happen  by  any  vacancies, 
Ihould  be  diftributed  in  Greek  and  Latin  books,  to  fuch 
undergraduate  ftudents  as  fnould  make  the  beft  compofi- 
tion,  or  declamation,  in  the  Latin  tongue,  upon  fuch  a 
moral  theme  as  fiiall  be  given  them."  Rellnquifhing  his 
delign  of  founding  a  college  in  America,  Dr.  Berkeley  re- 
turned to  London.  While  at  Newport,  he  prefented  all 
his  own  works  to  the  College  library  ;  and,  afterward, 
partly  out  of  his  own  eftate,  but  principally  vnih  monies 
which  he  procured  for  the  purpofe,  in  EngUnd,  he  made 
an  additional  donation  of  nearly  1000  volumes,  •^•hich 
Prefident  Clap  fuppofes  to  have  coll  at  leafl  ;^40o  fterling. 
He  died  in  1753,  jEtat.  73.  He  was  a  very  amiable,  a,s 
well  as  very  great  man  ;  and  Pope  is  fcarcely  thought  to 
fay  too  much,  when  he  afcribes 

"To  Berkeley  every  virtue  under  heaven."* 

Redor  Williams,  after  prefiding  over  the  Colleo-e  i* 
years,  finding  the  fea-air  and  foutherly  winds  at  New- Haven 
unfavourable  to  his  conftitution,  and  fometimes  incapaci- 
tating him  for  bufmefs,  was  neceflitated  to  refign  his  office, 
in  October,  1739.  *'  He  prefided  with  wifdom,  gravity, 
and  authority  ;  applied  himfelf,  with  care  and  affiduity,  to 
guard  and  fecure  the  ftudents,  both  from  whatever  might 
blemifh  and  wound  their  moral  characters,  and  from  errors 
and  miftakes  in  matters  of  religion  ;  and  to  form  their 
piinds,  not  only  to  ufeful  knowledge  and  learning,  but  to 

virtue 

*  For  a  further  account  of  him,  fee  Encyclopedia,  article  Berkeley. 


390  APPENDIX. 

virtue  and  real  piety."  *  The  College  flourifhed  under  his 
adminiftration.  He  introduced  and  fettled  a  number  of 
good  cuftoms ;  a  tafte  for  many  parts  of  ufeful  and  polite 
literature  increafed ;  and  the  flate  of  this  Seminary  became, 
from  this  period,  gradually  improved.  The  Truftees,  at 
his  refignation,  retunied  him  "  their  hearcy  thanks  for  his 
good  fervice  to  tlie  College." — —In  1 745,  he  went  as  a 
chaplain  in  the  army,  in  the  expedition  againft  Cape  Bre- 
ton ;  and,  in  1 746,  was  appointed  Colonel  of  a  regiment, 
on  a  propofed  expedition  a^ainft  Canada.  A  few  years 
afterward  he  went  to  England,  where  he  married  a  lady 
of  fuperior  accomplifliments ;  and,  having  returned  to 
Wethersfield,  died  there,  July  24,  1755,  iEtat.  6i.  He 
was  bom  at  Hatfield,  and  educated  at  Harvard  College, 
where  he  graduated  in  17 1 1. — He  "was  a  good  claflical 
fcholar,  well  verfed  in  logic,  metaphyfics,  and  ethics,  and 
in  rhetoric  and  oratory.  He  prefided  at  commencement 
with  great  honour.  He  fpoke  Latin  freely,  and  delivered 
orations  gracefully,  and  with  animated  dignity."  f 

Dr.  Doddridge,  whofe  excellent  name  is  ftill  highly  re- 
fpe<fled  in  America,  was  Intimately  acquainted  with  him, 
in  England  ;  and  gave  him  this  comprehenfive  charafler  : 
**  I  look  upon  Colonel  Williams  to  be  one  of  the  moft  val- 
uable men  upon  earth.  He  has  joined  to  an  ardent  fenfe 
of  religion,  folid  learning,  confummate  prudence,  great 
candour,  and  fweetnefs  of  temper,  and  a  certain  noblenefs 
of  foul,  capable  of  contriving  and  adHng  the  greateft 
things,  without  feemin^  to  be  confcious  of  his  having  done 
them.** 

On  the  day  of  Reflor  Williams*  refignation,  the  Rev, 
Thomas  Clap,  mlnifler  of  Windham,  was  chofen  Redtor 
of  Yale  College.     He  was  inaugurated  April  2, 1740. 

'  The 

•  Rev.  Mr.  Lockwood's  Sermon,  on  the" death  of  Col.  Williams. 

t  Literary  Diary.  PreCdent  Stiles  heard  Redtor  WilUams  pro- 
nounce his  valedictory  oration,  at  the  commencement,  when  he  re- 
figoed  the  chair. 


APPENDIX.  39t 

"Tlie  Collegiate  laws,  hitherto  in  ufe,  being  in  feme  parts 
defensive,  and  in  others  obfolete  ;  Redtor  Clap,  by  the  defire 
of  the  Truftees,  drew  up  a  large  body,  "  partly  out  of  the 
ancient  laws  and  ftatutes  of  this  College  ;  partly  from  the 
principal  and  mofl  important  cuftonis  which  had  obtained  5 
partly  from  the  laws  of  Harvard  College  ;  and  partly  fromc 
the  ftatutes  of  the  Unlverfity  of  Oxford ;  and  fome  few 
hew  ones  were  added."  Thefe  laws,  after  feveral  read- 
ings, were  adopted  by  the  board  of  Truftees,  in  1745.- • 

In  1 742,  the  Reftor  arranged  the  books  of  th«  Library  j 
numbered  each  book  ;  and  took  a  catalogue  of  the  whole, 
which  was  printed. 

In  1745,  an  A€t  was  paiTed  by  the  Legifiature  of  Con- 
nefticut,  "  for  the  more  full  and  complete  eftablilhment 
of  Yale  College  ;  and  for  enlarging  its  powers  and  privi- 
leges." By  tliis  A(ft,  tlie  Rector  and  Truftees  were  incor- 
porated by  the  name  of  "  The  Prefident  and  Fellows  of 
Yale  College  in  New-Haven  ;"  and  they  ftill  retain  this 
appellation.  The  fame  Aft  declares,  «  That  the  Prefident 
of  faid  College,  ;m'ith  the  confent  of  the  Fellows,  fliaU  have 
power  to  give  and  confer  all  fuch  honours,  degrees,  or  li- 
cences, as  are  ufually  given  in  Colleges  and  Univerfities, 
upon  fuch  as  they  fhall  think  worthy  thereof."  It  alfo  al- 
leges, that,  "  for  the  fpecial  encouragement  and  fupport 
of  faid  College,  this  Aflembly  do  hereby  grant  unto  tlie 
faid  Prefident  and  Fellows,  for  the  ufe  of  the  faid  College, 
one  hundred  pounds,  filver  money — in  two  equal  payments, 
in  Odober  and  May,  annually.  This  payment  to  continue 
during  the  pleafure  of  this  Aflembly." 

[1750.]  By  means  of  a  lottery,  and  a  liberal  grant 
from  the  Legiflature,  the  Corporation  was  enabled  to  ere<5t 
another  edifice,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  ftudents. 
The  foundation  of  it  was  laid  April  17,  1750,  and  the  out- 
fide  was  finifhed  in  September  1 752.  "  It  is  ico  feet  longs> 
40  feet  wide,  and  3  ftories  high,  befides  the  garrets,*  and  » 

cellar 

*  The  rooms  in  the  4th  frory  were  well  Snlflicd,  and  occupied  by 
the  Students.  But  they  are  now  more  convenient  fince  that  ftory 
ITM  aud«  €rc<ft,  la  1797,  ia  confoncaity  to  the  New  College, 


59'^  A    P    P    E    N    D    I    X. 

,  cellar  under  the  whole  ;  and  contahis  32  chambers  arid  64 

ftudies. In  grateful  acknowledgment  of  the  generofity 

of  the  Government,  the  Prefident  and  Fellows,  at  the  com- 
mencement  in  1752,  ordered,  that  the  New  College  be 
ftamed  Connecticut-Hali,. 

This  year  the  Prefident,  for  the  firft  time,  fet  up  Lord's 
day  worfliip  in  the  College  Hall. 

The  Corporatioii  had,  for  feveral  years,  realized  the  im- 
portance of  a  Profefforfhip  of  Divinity,  and  had  leafed  out 
fome  of  the  Colkge  lands  for  that  purpofe  ;  biit  their  finan- 
ces would  not  yet  admit  its  eftablifhment.  Iri  the  mean 
time,  they  defired  the  Prefident,  with  fome  aHiilance  from 
tHemfelves  and  others,  to  do  the  duties  of  a  Profeffor,  by 
preaching  in  the  College  Hall,  every  Lord's  day*  The 
Honourable  Philip  Livingftoh,  of  New- York,  having,  in 
J  746,  by  a  donation  in  money,  laid  a  foundation  for  fuch 
A  Profe/Torfliip,  dnd  this  fund  being  afterward  augmented 
by  a  donation  from  Mr.  Gerfhom  Clark,  of  Lebanon  ;  in 
iySS*  t^^  Corporation  chofe  the  Reverend  Naphtali  Dag- 
gett, Paftor  of  a  church  on  Long-Ifland,  to  be  Profeffor  of 
Divinity  ;  and  oil  the  4th  of  March,  1756,  he  was  iiKiuft- 
ed  into  office. 

The  Prefident  having  previoufly  given  a  lot  of  land,  for 
the  ufe  of  a  Profeffor  of  Divinity  for  the  time  being,  a  fuf- 
ficient  fum  was  now  raifed,  by  fubfcription,  to  ereft  a  houfe 
for  the  Profeffor.  It  was  fiiiiftied  iri  1758,  and  coft  £28^ 
llerling. 

[1757-]  The  Tutors,  and  a  number  of  the  Students, 
who  were  members  of  different  churches,  addreffed  them- 
felves  to  the  Corporation,  June  29,  cxprefTing  their  defire 
••  to  attend  upon  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  un- 
der the  adminiflration  of  the  Reverend  Profeffor  ;  and  to. 
■walk  together  in  flated  Chrilllan  communion,  and  holy  fub- 
jcflion  to  all  the  ordinances  of  Chrift,"  with  their  appro- 
bation and  fiinftion.  The  Corporation  approved  the  pro- 
pofal  i  and,  from  that  time,  the  Lord's  fupper  has  been 

ftatedly 


APPENDIX.  193 

Ratedly  adminiftered  at  this  College,  on  the  firft  Lord's 
day  in  each  month. 

The  number  of  ftudents  being  greatly  increafed,  and  tlic  old 
College  Hall  being  extremely  inconvenient  for  the  purpofes 
of  religious  and  fcholaftic  exefcifes,  and  of  a  cUning-room  ; 
the  apartment  for  the  Library,  alfo  being  too  fmall  for  the 
books  and  apparatus ;  the  Prefident  propofed  the  ereflion 
6f  a  Chapel,  and  i/Tued  a  fubfcription  for  this  purpofe.  The 
foundation  of  this  edifice  was  laid  in  April,  1761.  It  is 
built  of  brick,  50  feet  long,  and  40  feet  wide,  with  a  fteeple 
and  galleries.  The  third  ftory  is  appropriated  to  the  Li- 
brary, and  Philofophy  Room.  It  was  opened  in  June,  1 763, 
when  a  fermon  was  preached  by  the  Profelfor,  in  the  pret- 
ence of  the  Prefident  and  Fellows,  and  a  large  auditory. 
The  public  exercifes,  fcholaftic  and  religious,  excepting 
thofe  of  the  annual  commencement,  have  ever  fince  been 
performed  in  this  Chapel. 

Prefident  Clap  refigned  the  prefidency  in  September, 
1766;  and  died  January  7,  1767,  JEtaX.  64.  He  was 
born  at  ScitUate,  in  Maffachufetts,  in  1703  ;  graduated  at 
Harvard  College,  in  172^  ;  and  fettled  in  the  miniftry,  at 
Windliam,  in  1726;  whence  he  Was  removed,  14  years 
after,  to  the  redorate  of  Yale  College.  Dr.  Stiles,  who, 
during  13  years  refidence  at  College,  "  was  moft  intimately 
acquainted  with  his  manner  of  ftudy,  and  the  fubjeds  of 
his  refearches,"  has  delineated  his  literary  chai"ad:er,  of 
which  this  is  a  fummary  :  "  Prefident  Clap  was  poflefTed 
of  ftrong  mental  powers,  clear  perception,  and  folid  judg- 
ment. Though  not  eminent  for  claiTical  learning,  he  had 
.1  competent  knowledge  of  the  three  learned  languages. 
He  wa.s  well  verfed  in  algebra,  optics,  aflronomy,  and  the 
general  courfe  c^  experimental  philofophy.  In  mathematics 
and  natural  philofophy  I  have  not  reafon  to  think  he  was 
equalled  by  any  man  in  America,  except  the  moft  learned 
Profeffbr  Winthrop.  Many  others,  indeed,  excelled  him 
in  the  mechanic  application  of  the  lower  branches  of  the 
B  B  b  mathematics  : 


394  appendix:. 

mathematics  :  but  he  rofe  to  fublimer  heights,  and  becaftitf 
converfant  in  the  application  of  this  noble  fcience  to  thofc 
cxtenfiye  laws  of  Nature,  which  regulate  the  tnoft  ftupen- 
dous  phenomena;,  and  obtain  throughout  the  llellary  uni* 
vcrfe.  1  have  known  him  to  elucidate  fo  many  of  the  ab- 
ftrufeft  theorems  and  ratiocinia  of  Newton,  that,  I  doubt 
not,  the  whole  Prh:apia  of  that  illuftrious  phllofopher  was 
comprehended  by  him  ;  a  comprehenfion  which,  it  is  pre- 
fumed,  very  few  mathematicians,  of  the  prefent  age,  have 

attained. ^Wollafton's  Religion  of  Nature  was  the  bafis 

of  his  moral  philofophy,  and  Weftmlnfter  Calvinifm  was 
his  theology.  He  had  thoroughly  fludied  the  Scriptures, 
and  had  read  the  moft  eminent  divines  of  tlie  laft  aooyears- 
In  his  peculiar  manner,  he  had  examined  fo  many  authors, 
through  the  trad  of  time  from  Jerome  to  the  prefent  day, 
as  well  as  the  three  more  primltrve  ages,  that,  on  the  fun- 
damental doftrines  of  religion,  I  believe  him  to  have  beea 
pofiefTed  of  the  fentiments  of  the  whole  Chriflian  world.— 
Hiftory,  ancient  and  modern,  political  and  ecclefiaftical, 
he  was  well  verfed  in.  He  had  deeply  fludied  the  hiftory 
of  the  x^fTyrian  empire;  that  of  Greece  ;  that  of  the  Ro- 
man empire,  through  all  its  periods,  and  particularly  its- 
mutation  into  an  Eccleflaftical  State. He  fludied  the 

rife  of  Mahometlfm  ;  the  Saracenic  conqucfts  ;  the  domin- 
ion of  the  Caliphs  and  Mamelukes ;  the  extenfive  fpread  of 
this  religion,  and  the  final  partition  of  the  Interefl  into  feveral 
empires.  He  had  formed  an  idea  of  the  powers  ©f  Europe, 
their  connexions,  balances,  and  leading  fprings  of  policy  ; 
and  had  arranged  the  principal  events  and  revolutions  of 
the  fe-veral  ages,  from  antiquity  to  the  prefent  day.  He 
traced  and  confidered,  with  the  clofeft  attention,  the  caufes 
of  greateft  extent,  and  moft  forcible  operation,  in  cffcifting 
public  events,  which,  like  the   laws  of  Nature,   carry  in 

themfelves  the  certain  futurition  of  their  phenomena. 

Ke  well  underftood  the  hiftory  and  geography  of  the 
Bible  ;  and  took  great  pains  to  confider  the  verification 
"ft'hich  it  mutually   gave,  and   received,  when  compared 

with 


APPENDIX.  595 

with  profane  hiftory.  He  was  well  read  in  the  Fathers, 
and  had  examined  all  the  remains  of  the  antiquities  of  the 
primitive  church.  He  lludied  the  police,  worfliip,  and 
difcipline  of  the  church,  in  the  three  firft  and  two  laft  ages. 
He  greatl/  ftudied  the  councils,  general  and  provincial, 
and  in  them  was  thoroughly  verfed.  He  was  confiderably 
read  in  the  Common  Law  of  England,  and  in  the  munici- 
pal laws  of  his  country.  He  was  fo  v/ell  verfed  in  the 
y-us  Civile,  the  Irillitutes  of  Juftinian,  the  Pandefts,  the 
Novellx  ;  and,  from  the  canons,  the  decretals  of  the  Popes, 
he  had  obtained  fuch  a  general  knowledge  of  ecclefiaf. 
tical  Law,  that  he  would  have  honoured  a  Dodorate  in 
both  laws. 

The  labours  of  his  office  left  a  moft  contemplative  mind 
but  a  few  hours  for  reading.  But  he  had  a  happy  and  ad- 
vantageous method  of  reading  :  he  alv/ays  ftudied  on  a 
fyftem,  or  arrangement  with  refpedt  to  fome  whole,  and 
read  to  purpofe.  A  voluminous  library  before  him  he 
treated  as  a  Gollecflion  of  Reports,  books  delivering  the 
knowledge  and  reafonings  of  the  learned  world,  on  all  fub- 
jeds  of  literature.  He  feldom  read  a  volume  through  in 
courfe.  Having  previoufly  fettled  in  his  mind  the  partic- 
ular fubjeifls  to  be  examined,  and  what,  on  any  fubjefH:, 
he  needed  afcertain,  he  then  pitched  diretflly  on  the  book 
or  books,  and  thofe  parts  in  them,  which  would  elucidate 
the  fubje<5l  of  his  enquiry.  He  would  thus,  with  difcem- 
ment  and  difpatch,  run  over  50  volumes,  if  neceifary,  and 
felecl  whatever  they  contained  in  point ;  and  thus  proceed, 
till  he  had  made  himfelf  mafter  of  the  fubjed,  generally 
paffing  unconcernedly  over  the  reft,  however  attractive  and 
interefling.  He  thus  amalTed  and  digefted  a  valuable 
treafure  of  erudition,  having  profecuted  almofl  all  the  va- 
riety of  capital  fubjects  in  the  whole  circle  of  literature. 

He  was  indefatigable  in  labours,  both  fecular  and  fcien* 
tific,  for  the  benefit  of  the  College  ;  there  being  proof  of 
the  one,  in  his  building  a  College  edifice  and  Chapel  ; 

and 


39(5^  APPENDIX. 

and  of  the  ether,  in  his  frequent  public  DifTertatlons  on  alj 
kinds  of  literature." ■. — - 

*'  As  to  his  peifon,  he  was  not  tall  ;  yet,  being  tliick  fet^ 
he  appeared  i-ather  large  and  bulky.  Kis  afpefl  was  light, 
placid,  ferene,  and  contemplative.  He  was  a  calm,  ftill, 
judicious,  great  man."  * 

On  the  relignation  of  Frefident  Clap,  ProfefTor  Daggett 
was  chofen  Prefident,  proteinpore  ;  and  he  officiated  as 
Prefident  till  the  ift  of  April,  1777,  when  he  refigned  the: 
chair. 

[1770.]  The  General  Afftmhly  of  Conne<5licut,  having 
refolved,  in  1770,  to  found  a  Profeflbrfliip  of  Mathematics 
and  Experimental  Philofophy,  in  Yale  College,  the  Corpo- 
ration, foon  after,  elefced  the  Reverend  Nehemiah  Strong 
a  ProfefTor  for  that  department,  who  was  inducted  into  of- 
fice before  the  expiration  of  the  year. 

In  1777,  the  Reverend  Dr.  Stiles  was  eleded  Prefidentj 
and  Prcfeffbr  of  Ecclefiaftical  Hiilory  ;  and  was  inducted 
into  thefe  offices,  July  8,  1778. 

Prr^felfor  Daggett,  after  a  very  fhort  Illnefs,  died  on  the 
25th  of  November,  1780.  He  was  born  at  Attleborougb, 
^Maflachufetts)  m  1727,  and  educated  at  Yale  College, 
where  he  -rraduated  in  1748.  In  1751,  he  was  fettled  in 
the  mlniftry  at  Smithtown,  on  Long-Ifland,  whence  he 
was  removed,  five  years  after,  to  the  Profeflbrfhip,  in  which 
he  continued  25  years,  till  his  death.  He  officiated  as 
Prefident,  from  1766101777.  He  was  "a  good  claffical 
fcholar  ;  well  verfed  in  moral  philofophy  ;  and  a  learned 
divine. 

The  ProfefTorfhip  of  Divinity  becoming  vacant  by  the 
death  of  ProfefTor  Daggett,  the  Reverend  Samuel  Wales,  of 
Mil  ford,  was  elefted  to  that  office  in  178 1,  and  was  in- 
'  ducted,  June  12,  1782-     [_^ide  page  338. J 

In 

•.Literary  Diary, 


APPENDIX.  397 

In  1782,  Dr.  Daniel  Lathrop,  of  Norwich,  beqweathed 
;^5oo  to  Yale  College,  to  be  applied  at  the  difcretion  of 
the  Corporation.* 

This  year  a  new  brick  Hall  was  ere£led,  60  feet  in 
length,  and  30  in  breadth. 

The  philofophical  apparatus  being  very  incomplete, 
the  Reverend  Dr.  Lockwood,  of  Andover,  (Connedicut) 
in  1787,  contributed  £ioCt  towards  its  completion.  A 
fubfcription  was  circulated,  by  which,  including  the  Doc- 
tor's donation,  £'})CO  were  raifed  for  the  fame  purpofe.  The 
Prefident,  availing  himfelf  of  the  friendfhip  of  Dr.  Price, 
wrote  to  him  for  affiflance  in  procuring  this  apparatus. 
The  Dodor  readily  complied  with  the  Prefident's  rcqueft. 

He   purchafed  an  apparatus,  in  London,  which  coft 

£206  :  6  :  3,  fterling  ;  and  carefully  attended  to  the  quality 
of  the  feveral  articles  of  which  it  was  compofed.  The  ex- 
pence,  beyond  the  remittance  for  this  purchafe,  amounting 
to  £6  :  6  :  3,  fterling,  was  paid  by  Dr.  Price,  who,  oblig- 
ingly requefted  the  College  to  accept  it  as  "  a  contribution 
from''  him,  "  teftifying"  his  "  good  will  and  refpeft." — :- 
Mr.  Benjamin  Vaughan  generoufly  concurred  with  Dr. 
Price,  in  effecting  this  bufmefs  ;  and  faw  to  the  fhipping  of 
all  the  articles  to  America.  He  "  begged  the  College  to  do 
him  the  favour  to  accept  of  the  infurance,  freight,  commlA 
fion,  and  fliipping  charges  ;"  and  added  :  "  I  (hall  at  all 
^mes  be  happy  to  fecond  Dr.  Price,  in  bis  undertakings  ; 
and  particularly  in  behalf  of  your  valuable  Inftitution."--- 
On  the  24th  of  December,  1789,  the  apparatus  arrived 
fafely,  and  in  excellent  order,  at  New-Haven.  By  a  vote 
of  the  Corporation,  the  Prefident  exprefTed  to  Dr.  Price 
and  Mr.  Vaughan,  their  "  moll  fenfible  gratitude  for  their 

generous 

*  He  graduated  at  that  College,  In  1733  ;  fhidicd  Surgery  at 
St.  Thomas's  Hofpital,  in  1736  :  married  a  daughter  of  Governor 
Talcott,  in  1744  ;  and  died,  in  1782,  ^tat.  70  ;  leaving,  befide  tbc 
above  legacy,  £ioco  to  public  and  charitable  purpofcs. 


3sr8  appendix! 

their  generous  liberality,  and  very  actentlve  and  kind  offices 
on  this  occafipji.* 

In  1790,  as  a  farther  encouragement  to  the  (ludy  of  th? 
Englifti  language  at  Yale  College,  Noali  Webiler,  Efq.  ap- 
propriated a  certain  proportion  of  the  avails  of  his  Gra;;z- 
matlcal  InJliUife,  (afterwards  commuted  for  a  definite  fum) 
to  be  given,  as  an  annual  premiam,  to  the  author  of  the 
compofition,  vhich  fliall  be  judged  the  beft  by  the  Prefid^nt* 
Profeflbrs,  and  Tutors  of  the   College.     Members  of  th* 
Junior  and  Senior  clafles,  and  all,  who  have  not  been  out 
of  college  three  years,  are  permitted  to  ccntefl  for  the  prize* 
A  revolution    in  this  feminary  was  now  approaching. 
5y  the  original  charter,  the  truftees  were  empo-i^'ered  to  fill 
xrp   anjr  vacancy  in  their  hoard ;  but,    according  to   theii; 
conftruiftion  of  the  charter,   (in.  which  alfo  their  fuccelTors 
agreed)  they  v/ere  limited  to  the  choice  of  minifters,    None^ 
tlierefore,  but  minifters  were  chofen  into  their  body.    Hence, 
2t  a  very  early  period,  a  jealoufy  arofe  againft  the  board 
of  Truftees — a  jealoufy  which  was  cheriihed  by  fome  gen. 
tlemeit  ia  the   State,  and  aSefted  the  Legiflature  of  the 
Colony.     Although  the  General  AiTenibly  continued  am 
annual  grant ;   and,  in  1 749,  gave  a  generous  aid  towards 
the  erection  of  a  new  College  edifice  ;    yet  its  patronage 
was  not  fo  extenfive  at  the  intereils  of  the  Inftitution  re- 
quired:.   A  dilfatisfadion  with  the  adminiilration  of  the 
College,  ftill  prevailing,  in  1763,  a  memorial  was  prefented 
to  .the  LegKlature,  reprefenting  that  the  General  AfFembly 
,were  the  Founders  of  the  College,  and,  as  fuch,  had  a  right 
to  appoint  Vifitors  to  reform  abufes,  if  any  be  found  ;  and 
praying  that  the  Aifembly  would  pafs  an  ail  to  authorize 
^n  appeal  from  any  and  every  fentence,  given  by  the  Au- 
^lojrjty  of  the  College,  to  the  Governor  and  Council  of  this 
Colony  for  the  time  being.      The  co<-nfel  for  the  memori'- 
aliffs  having  alleged  what  thsr  judged  proper  in  fupport 

of 

*  The   Icarixcd  and  exsiiici;;  Dr.  Price   died,   March   19= '.■9'*» 


APPENDIX.  399 

ti  tKe  memorial,  Prcfident  Clap,  then  In  the  chair,  made  a 
rei'peclful  replj",  acknowledging  that  the  General  Affembly 
have  the  fame  authority  over  the  College,  and  all  the  per- 
fons  and  eilates  belonging  to  it,  as  over  all  other  perfons 
and  eftates  in  the  Colony  ;  and  all  that  power  which  is 
necefTary  for  the  benefit  of  the  College,  or  the  general  good 
of  the  community  ;  and  allowing  that  a  fpecial  refpedl  and 
gratitude  are  due  to  them  as  the  greatejl  ber.efacion  of 
this  Seminary,  but  denying  that  they  are  to  be  confider- 
ed  as  Founders^  or  Vijttorsy  in  the  fenfe  of  Common  Law, 
Here  the  controverify  terminated ;  for  though  many  in  the 
Colony  were  diHatisfied  that  Ecclefiaftics  held  the  cjcclufive 
poflefllon  of  the  powers  and  dignities  attached  to  the  gov- 
ernment of  die  College,  yet  the  queftion  concerning  tlie 
legality  of  their  tenure  was  not  again  formally  agitated. 

Wliatever  Prefident  Stiles'  opinion  was,  concerning  the 
merits  of  this  queftlon ;  from  the  time  of  his  entrance  into 
■office,  he  uniformly  united  with  the  Corporation  in  encou- 
raging the  conferences  of  the  Alfembly,  and  their  infpedion 
cf  tlie  ftate  of  tlie  College. 

At  the  fefilon  of  the  General  Aflembly  in  New-Haven, 
Odober,  1 791,  a  refpectable  committee  having'becn  ap- 
pointed from  both  houfes  "  to  confer  with  the  Prefident 
and  Fellows  of  Yale  College,  relative  to  the  ftate  and  cir- 
cumftances  of  fald  College,"  this  Committee  reported  at 
the  next  feflion  of  the  AiTembly,  May,  1792.  Their  Report 
at  once  refieds  honour  en  the  Prefident  and  Fellows,  and 
exhibits,  on  the  part  of  the  Committee,  a  fpirit  of  candour 
and  liberality  higlily  propitious  to  the  defign  now  in  con- 
templation. It  llates  that,  on  the  i  ith  of  January  laft,  the 
Committee  met  the  Prefident  and  Fellows,  at  New-Haven, 
on  the  bufinefs  of  their  appointment ;  that  they  opened 
and  continued  a  conference  until  the  13th  of  the  fame 
month,  v.'hen  they  adjourned  to  meet  at  Hartford,  on  tiie 
day  preceding  the  laft  Elc(9:ion  ;  and,  that  during  the  whole 
pro^refs  of  the  enquiryj  tliey  found  the  Corporation  difpo- 


ioo  APPENDIX. 

fed  to  communicate,  without  referve,  every  circumftance 
refpedting  the  care  and  management  of  the  Inftitution  under 
their  government.  After  a  commen-datory  account  of  the 
improvement  in  the  difcipline,  and  literary  exercifes  of  this 
Seminary,  the  Report  adds,  that  "  the  treafury  is  in  a  much 
better  condition  than  we  apprehended.  In  juftice  to  the  Cor- 
poration, we  are  bound  to  obferve,  that  their  finances  have 
been  managed  Avith  great  dexterity,  prudence,  and  econo- 
my." After  exhibiting  the  ftate  of  the  College  funds,  the 
Report  alleges  that  another  building  is  much  wanted,  to 
accommodate  the  ftudents  ;  that  an  addition  to  the  Li- 
brary is  much  wanted  ;*  that  a  farther  provifion  is  wanted 
for  the  ProfefTorlhip  of  Mathematics  and  Natural  Philofo- 
phy  ;  and  that  an  addition  ought  to  be  made  to  the  falary 
of  the  Tutors.  ^ 

The  Affembly  treated  the  Report  as  became  the  repre- 
fentatives  of  an  enlightened  comm.unlty.  Imprefled  with 
the  importance  of  the  diffufion  of  knowledge,  efpecially 
in  a  State,  which,  by  a  fmgularly  equable  divifion  of  prop- 
erty, and  by  its  fettled  habits  and  manners,  is  eminently 
republican,  they  pafled  a  noble  Act,  for  the  promotion  of 
literature.  [May  31,  1792.]  This  A(fl  implies  no  aboli- 
tion of  the  former  Charter,  or  Conflitution,  it  being  enti- 
tled "  An  AQ.  for  enlarging  the  powers  and  increafmg  the 
funds  of  Yale  College."  It  grants  a  very  generous  addi- 
tion to  the  funds  of  this  College,  on  the  conditions  exprefled 
in  the  following  claufe  of  the  Acl :  "  In  cafe  this  grant 
(hall  be  accepted  in  manner  as  hereafter  provided,  the 
Governor,  Lieutenant  Governor,  and  fix  fenior  Afllftants 
in  the  Council  of  this  State  for  the  time  being,  fliall  ever 

hereafter, 

•  The  Cone;^e  Library  then  confided  of  about  3000  volumes, 
principally  ancient  books.  Its  deficiency,  however,  in  refpect  to 
modern  books,  was  confiderably  fupplicd  by  two  valuable  Libraries, 
each  containing  about  500  volumes,  belonging  to  two.  private  Socie- 
ties, to  the  one  or  the  other  of  which  the  ftddents  uniformly  joinj  at 
theif  entrance  Ipto  the  uaivcrfity. 


A    P    P    E  "n    D    t    X.  4jt^" 

hereafter;  by  virtue  of  their  faid  offices,  be  Tniftecs  or  Fel- 
lows of  faid  College,  and  fhall,  together  with  the  prefent 
Prefident  and  Fellows  of  faid  College,  and  their  fucceflbrs, 
conftitute  one  Corporation  by  the  fame  name  and  ftyle 
mentioned  in  the  charter  of  faid  College,  and  fliall  have 
iand  enjoy  the  fame  Powers,  Privileges,  and  Authority,  in 
as  full  and  ample  a  manner  as  though  they  had  been  ex- 
prefsly  named  and  included  in  laid  Charter :  And  that  in 
cafe  of  i^acancy  by  death  or  refignatibti,  or  in  any  other 
way,  of  the  prefent  Fellbv/s  of  faid  College  and  their  fuc- 
ceflbrs, every  fuch  vacancy  fhall  be  fupplied  by  them  and 
their  fucceflbrs  by  eledion,  in  the  fame  manner  as  though 
this  A(5t  had  never  pafled  :  And  that  the  faid  Governor, 
Lieutenant  Governor,  and  fenlor  Affiftants,  or  any  four 
of  them,  together  with  the  preferlt  Fellows  of  faid  College 
arid  their  fucceflbrs,  or  any  fix  of  them,  fhall,  at  all  future 
nieetings  of  faid  Corporation,  be  a  quorum  for  the  tranf^ 
adion  of  bufinefs," 

The  Corporation,  on  the  2Sth  of  June,  at  a  meeting 
fpetlally  called  to  cuunJci  this  Acl  of  Affembly,  unani- 
inoufly  voted  its  acceptance  ;  and,  on  the  26th  of  July, 
tlie  Prefident  ferit  to  the  Secretary  of  the  State  a  copy  of 
the  Vote,  written  on  parchment,  and  fealed  with  the  Col- 
lege feal;  This  tranfaiftion  received  the  general  approba- 
tion of  the  Clergy,  and  of  the  citizens  of  every  defcription, 
tRroughout  the  State.  At  the  fubfequent  Commence- 
ment, in  September,  a  junction  was  forrned  between  the 
civilians  exprefled  in  the  Aft,  and  the  members  of  the  old 
Corporation,  who>  from  this  time,  conftituted  one  united 
board  in  the  government  of  the  Univerfity, 

1 1 793*3  The  beneficial  eSefts  of  this  revolution  were 
foon  viiible.  On  the  augmentation  of  the  funds,  a  fuffi- 
cient  fum  was  applied  to  the  eredlon  of  another  edifice, 
which  had  long  been  wanted.  In  April,  1793,  ^^  Prefi- 
dent, in  prefence  of  the  Mayor  and  Aldermen  of  the  city, 
of  the  officers  and  Undents  of  th^  College,  and  of  a  large 
C  c  c  colki^ion 


40i  APPENDIX.' 

coUedion  of  citizens,  laid  the  corner-ftone  of  this  builds 
ing,  with  the  following  infcription : 

EZ  RA    STILES 

Coll.  Yal.  Pr«s. 

primum    lapidem    posviy 

acad'    comp.    93. 

APR.  15,  179,^. 

Mounting  this  ftone,  when  it  had  been  duly  depofited, 
he  pronounced  a  fpeech  adapted  to  the  aufpicious  occa- 
fion,  in  v/hich  he  gratefully  acknowledged  the  liberality 
and  munificence  of  the  General  Alfemhly';  gave  an  hif- 
torical  fketch  of  the  rife  and  progrefs  of  this  literary  infti- 
tution  ;  and  religioufly  commended  the  edifice,  of  which 
this  ftone  was  the  foundationj  with  all  the  interefls  of  this. 
Univerfity,  to  the  fmiles  and  bleflxng  of  the  Mod  High* 
-  ■'- — —This  building,  which  is  104  feet  long,  and  3(v 
feet  wide,  was  completed  on  the  x  7ih  of  July,  1 794. 

Another  pare  of  the  augmented  funds  was  applied  to 
the  ProfefTorlhip  of  Mai.litiixo.t'w'c  ^nH  Natural  Phtlofophys 
and  that  office,  which  had  been  vacant  fince  the  refigna- 
tion  of  ProfefTor  Strong,  in  1781,  was  now  fupplied.  Jo- 
fiah  Meigs,  Efquire,  being  chofen  ProfefTor  for  that  depart- 
ment, was  inducted  into  the  ProfeiTorfliip  on  the  4th  of 
December,  1794. 

Prefident  Stiles  died,  May'12,  1795,  iEtat.  68  ;  and  was 
fucceeded  by  the  Reverend  Timothy  Dwight,  S.  T.  D, 
who  prefided  at  the  enfuing  Commencement. 

From  the  foundation  of  Yale  college  to  the  year  1 795, 
2372  received  their  education  at  this  Seminary,  of  which 
number  6i 8  were,  educated  under  the  prefidency  of  Dr. 
Stiles. 

No. 


APPENDIX.  403 

No.  Ill, 

THE  Corporation  of  Yale  College  has  been  pleafed  to 
make  provifion  for  th6  ereiflion  of  a  monument  to  the 
memory  of  Prefident  Stiles.  A  new  burying  ground  hav- 
ing been  opened  in  New-Haven,  the  lail  autumn,  a  certain 
part  of  which  was  prefented  to  Yale  College  by  the  pro- 
prietors ;  the  friends  of  the  Prefident  vrere  defirous  that 
*♦  his  aflies  Ihould  he  depofited  in  tlie  firft  and  moft  hon- 
ourable place  in  it."  With  the  concurrence  of  the  family, 
the  body  was  accordingly  removed,  "  in  that  decent  and, 
Jelpeflful  manner,  which  was  due  to  a  charaiJter,  fo  univer" 
faUy  beloved  and  refpefted."* 

•  Letter  from  the  Konourable  James  Killhoufe,  Senator  in  Con- 
grefs,  to  -whom  the  Prefldent's  bereaved  children  feel  under  the 
higheft  obligation  for  his  Unremitted  and  dllinterefled  attentions  to 
£h£m,  JA  thdr  otfhzo  ftatr,  and  to  the  xxiexaory  of  their  deceafe^ 
pveotr 


r     I     N      J     Sr 


I     N     D     E     X, 


President  Stlks*  birth  and  extraaion,  page  9 
and  379 — Enters  College,  n — Tatorfliip,  18 — Scepticifm, 
3i„^3 — Review  of  authors,  43 — Ordination,  63 — Mar- 
rlagc,  69 — Opens  foreign  correfpondencies,  ib. — Dif- 
c6urfe  on  Chriftian  Union,  88 — Created  Dodlor  of  Di- 
vmftyi  109— Learns  the  Hebrew  and  Oriental  languages, 
128 — Portrait  taken,  151 — Acquaintance  -with  R;  Carigal, 
168 — Death  of  Mrs.  Stiles,  i85 — Removes  to  Dighton, 
197— To  Portfmouth,  211— Ele<fied  Prefi dent,  216 — Ac- 
ceptance of  the  appointment,  236 — Paftoral  charaftef, 
257— Removal  to  N^w-Haven,  250 — Incurfion  ot  BritiiK 
troops  at  New-Haven,  261 — Eleftion  Sermon,  282 — Hif- 
iory  of  Judges,  3*-»— Sicknefs  and  death,  ^^^..^^S^*- 
General  charafler,  349-378— Hiftory  of  Yale  College, 
383^ 

Sentiments  on  liberty,  96, 162,  166,  167,  178,  i8i,  i8jr, 
210,  2t2 — On  Charles  I.  143 — On  deifm,  79-85 — On 
beft  method  of  defending  Revelation,  120— On  the  prefi- 
'dericyi  115 — On  the  Dighton  infcfiption,  119 — On  the 
clafllc  authors^  147— On  the  Support  of  the  riiiniftry,  140 
—Dark  day,  265 — Cn  various  rehgibnsi  202 — On  proph- 
ecy, I37»-" — -Birth  Day  Reflexions,  154^  165,  174,  201, 
224i  255,  27I,  277i  280,  289,  291,  294,  $oii  505,  308, 
31  li  315,  320,  324,  342— Oriental  Enquiries,  85,  T08, 
112,  134,  158,  317,  325;-.;-i-.MemoIfsof  Dr.  Alifon,  99— . 
Dr.  Chauncy,  303— T.  Elarling,  Efq.  1  i—Dr.  Franklin, 
310— A.  Hillhoufe,  Efq.  66— Sir  W.  Jones,  337--Dr. 
Lardner,  118— Gov.  Law,  21 — Rev.  Mr.  Sargeant,  20—.. 
Gov.  Trumbull,  282— Rev.  Mr.  Whittelfcy,  302— Pro- 
feflbr  Winthrop,  259 — Profeffor  Wales,  339 — Gen. 
Wooftcr,  i£. 


# 


4 


